Jessie, Bambi, and That Shiny Metal Chair
by The-Queen-of-Fantasy
Summary: Eustace and Jill are sent into Narnia to retrieve Prince Rilian with some unexpected help. While Caspian and Sage struggle to rule Narnia under increased pressure, Aslan's recruits must face the dangers that lay north, face death itself, and muddle through the confusion that is romance. Our gaggle of heroes experiences more than a few twists of fate while locating the silver chair.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome back my lovelies! I have had many a request for a sequel for Cassie, Stacey, and that Big Fluffy Lion and am proud to _finally_ present the first chapter! I am going to be bringing back some of C. S. Lewis' beloved characters as well as some of the fan favorites as well as adding some new ones to the mix. Please join me as we begin what promises to be a fantastic journey. :)**

 **(Natalie)**

Running a red light in the densely populated town of Minneapolis was the least of Natalie's worries at thismoment. If she was late for her graduation ceremony, she was certain that her mother would keel over in her chair, and the new camera she'd sped hundreds of dollars on specifically for this occasion would smash to pieces on the ground.

So she barreled her way through the traffic, wincing as she spotted a police car camped out on the outskirt of the hectic airport parking lot just waiting for someone like her to break the law. She beat her fingers against the steering wheel, bronze ring clacking anxiously until she was sure he was not about to pursue. That was just like the Minneapolis police force, all threats, no action. Today, that was more than beneficial.

Peeling her sweaty hand off the steering wheel, she wiped the palm against the dark blue dress. Her roommate selected it, insisting that the hue was the same color as her eyes. Today Natalie's eyes were too stormy with a mix of excitement and apprehension to match quite right.

She glanced down to the clock-7:51. Technically she was supposed to be on campus for 7:30, but line up didn't begin until 8. Luckily, the last name of Walder would put her towards the end of the processional. She would have just enough time to slide in.

She cruised to a stop at the light right outside of the University of Minnesota. No need to run this one since she was moments away from parking. Leaned sideways, she looked in my rear-view mirror, eyeing the bright pink lipstick. With a sweep of her finger along its border, the color was schooled back into place. She ducked her head to adjust the bow wrapped around dense black curls painstakingly pulled into a bun. Her older sister, Jordan, had shown up at the butt crack of dawn and insisted on doing her hair for this momentous occasion. According to her, it's not every day her baby sister would graduate from college and finalize her Broadway role. Granted, the role consisted of five lines and a few buckets of fake manure, but Jordan was already giddy, insisting that she be named Natalie's official stylist.

Natalie Walder, she had to admit the thought of seeing her name in lights made her chest light with joy.

Unbuckling, she leaning to search for her graduation cap tossed into the backseat during the chaos of leaving this morning. It could very well have ended up in Jordan's car. When she could not find it, she decided that was exactly what happened. She turned, feeling a sharp pinch at her side and hearing the shattering of reality. The brown topaz set into the band of her ring sent sunlight splashing into her eyes. She blinked spots away that seemed to be doing some sort of intricate tango in her field of vision.

When she could see again, Natalie pondered how long she had left Jordan alone with her coffee and if she'd had time to slip drugs into it. No longer was a cloth driver's seat beneath her, but a hard gold and wooden throne whose royal purple cushions did little to make it comfortable. Before her stretched a great courtroom instead of her campus. The sprawl of cars was replaced with ivory columns. Students scampering about in their finest dresses and suits were now reduced to humble servants with lowered heads and duty in their gait.

"You're not supposed to be up there," a small voice announced.

Natalie turned to catch sight of a young girl seated on a smaller throne beside hers. Her straight brown hair was plaited down her back and lofty brown eyes glared up at her. Why did she look familiar? Why did Natalie have a knack for popping up places she shouldn't be?

"Are you supposed to be there?" Natalie countered. The girl's tan cheeks turned ruddy and she jumped to her knees to be eye level with her elder.

"My father is the King. I can do what I like," she announced.

"Goodie for you, little princess. You don't happen to know how I got here, do you?" The click of confident heels interrupted their brief repartee.

"Samira, bath time does not mean come play on mommy's throne. Let's go unless you want your friends to think that their princess always smells like spilled tea."

 _That_ voice Natalie knew. It was more tired and had a regal air she hadn't known the woman was capable of pulling off, but she'd replayed Sage's voice over in her head enough to have it memorized.

She leapt from the throne she now knew must belong to Caspian before Samira could give her away. The sudden appearance made Sage tense, producing a dagger from some hidden compartment in the recesses of her skirts. She shook her head once. Twice. Samira scampered to her side, grinning triumphantly at Natalie. Sage was older, maybe 50 by the look of the wrinkles on her narrow face. On her left hand sat two rings that, Natalie cautioned a guess, came from Caspian. Her auburn hair was streaked with grey and piled in a bun at the base of her neck. Even the greens' of her eyes had aged. Natalie had felt incompetent around her before with the four year age gap. Now, the years beat down on her till she felt no older than Samira.

"Who got you into a dress?" she asked.

And Natalie smiled, relief washing over her. Sage was still her friend, despite all the changes. The Queen raced forward, careful poise forgotten and caught her up into a back cracking hug.

"I thought you weren't allowed to come back," she breathed into her hair.

"You and me both. Caspian should invest in some softer cushions for his chair, by the way. Otherwise you'll have a hunchback for a King." Sage laughed and held the shorter woman at arm's length.

"How come you get to stay young and beautiful? Meanwhile I wither away," she complained.

"You've got a hot ass King for a husband and hopefully other kids that are more welcoming than that one."

Samira jutted her tongue out and Natalie mimicked the gesture until she saw Sage's face completely crumple. Something was terribly wrong in her life that should scream happily ever after.

"Mommy," Samira darted forward to pull on her long silk sleeve. "Is she who you asked Aslan to send for help? Is she gonna bring back Ril?"

"Sage, who's Ril? Why is he important enough for Aslan to send me here to find him?" Natalie asked, twisting her ring around her thumb. She supposed graduation would just have to wait for her to return.

"He's my son. And he's missing."

* * *

 **(Jessie)**

A gurney nearly plowed over Jessie as she ducked into the break room. Jessie glanced down at her toes, just in case, to make sure no hasty wheels had taken them off. White cloth nurse's shoes wiggled in assurance. Reaching up, a clip was removed from her head to allow the heavy strands of blonde hair to lay flat against her back.

Less than an hour later and she would be free of the hospital for a full half day. Jessie swept up the waiting coffee and sat beside one of her closer colleagues, Roana. With a sip, she choked down the bitter liquid and eased back into the plush couch.

"I don't know how you can stomach that stuff," Roana noted.

Jessie shrugged and tipped the rest back fast enough that the burn on her tongue distracted her from the taste. Their knee length uniform skirts blended together from how close they sat to one another. Roana's jacket was draped across the back of the couch and Jessie considered depositing her own. The material was far too constricting for her taste.

A crash drew all eyes to the window. The five nurses in the room, all trained to run towards people in need, hurried to the window overlooking the only highway system in this rural portion of Mullingar. Three cars were bent and morphed to form ones bizarre looking assimilation of metal and rubber. This was the ninth crash of the day; at least this one was close to the hospital. The unusually bright overhead sun and cloudless sky proved to be a distraction for drivers who were used to wet and dreary spring afternoons.

"I'll alert the first responders," Jessie bustled through the small crowd to the door.

"Didn't you just start your break?" Roana called after her. "You don't always have to be so selfless. We get it already."

Jessie shrieked in delight as she stepped through the door and slapped her gloved hands over her mouth as the sound carried through the thick green expanse of forest. This was not the interior of Mullingar's finest hospital. The ground beneath her feet was muddy and squelched as she shifted her weight. Leaves let the last of raindrops fall from their tips, dotting Jessie's shoulders. The air was so crisp and clear with the smell of freshly blooming flowers and unpolluted oxygen that it seared its way to her lungs.

Narnia. She knew the quiet sounds of wildlife. Though the landscape around her was unfamiliar territory, she started picking her way north. She had to come across a civilization sooner rather than later if Aslan was behind her miraculous appearance as she suspected. It had been two agonizing years since she'd last ventured into a Termarine oppressed Narnia. Maybe she would stumble across Caspian. She wondered if he was King by now.

Maybe she would run into the Pevensies. Three fourths of her heart swelled with hope. The other remained fraction faltered in such an array of emotions, Jessie could not make out the most dominant one. Susan and Lucy were as wonderful as sisters and Edmund was entertaining in his own way. But she was not ready to face Peter again. Not after the long absence following their split.

She'd been so convinced she was in love with him when she fought at his side to aid Caspian. Even after returning to London to finish medical school with him, they'd remained inseparable. Then the real world had hit with all the might of a Narnian battlement. Work had pulled them in opposing directions. Family matters had distracted them from each other. Finally the distance became too much and she'd written Peter saying what she thought was best (that they should see other people), what she thought he needed to hear (that she was happier this way.) And he had not argued with her.

That was one year ago.

Jessie's pace was cautious and graceful while she travelled. The steadily rising sun was kept at her right from the glimpses she caught of it through the tangled overgrowth of trees. Finally, she spotted an archway that must symbolize a city and broke into a run. Branches tore at her pristine attire, but she paid them no mind. Narnia's freedom and spirit was filling her, quenching a thirst she had not know she carried.

When she emerged from the forest, her sprint slowed to a defeated jog. The archway looked one gust of wind away from crumbling to the ground. Likewise, the sparse collection of houses and buildings behind it swayed erratically on their foundations. The only sign of life she spotted sat under the gates with a blind man's rag tied over his eyes and a rusted cup held out for spare change.

He inclined his head at the ground, hearing her footfalls approach.

"Could you spare a copper?" he asked, voice surprisingly strong.

Tatters of clothing hung off a frame Jessie guessed might once have belonged to a Knight. How had he fallen to this? A cap was pulled low concealing all but the soot stained hair at the scruff of his throat. A dark beard covered his jaw and dirt was smeared across the left over span of skin.

"What is this place?" Jessie asked. Surely no city in Narnia could have fallen to such ruins under Caspian's watch.

The man's head snapped up as if she'd called his by name. He stared straight at her, blind gaze eerily locked on her face. A tug came from Jessie's gut inexplicably. Surely Aslan would not want her to associate with such a low man.

"What do they call you?" he inquired.

"I am Lady Jessica Horan of the Serene Autumn clouds." The title flowed out of her like she had never left Narnia. She was someone of importance here. Someone this man would know even without his sight.

"Jessie." He smiled disregarding all formality, but then again she doubted he cared anymore with his way of life. "Truly an honor." The smile faltered only for a moment and she took a step back. She could not trust this man. Maybe that's what the feeling in her gut had been: a warning.

"Thank you. I must continue on my way, though. Can you point me towards Cair Paravel?" she tried to make her voice something that could not be questioned, but it came out as small and timid as ever.

"I wouldn't recommend traveling these parts alone. This is giant territory. What do you think devastated this city?"

Jessie surged past him, tired of listening to his grating voice. There had to be someone left in the city. Anyone would be a better traveling companion than a blind beggar. The man followed her, bafflingly at ease on his feet. The walking stick swung though it never struck anything. Maybe it had something to do with his bare feet. Maybe he had some strange connection to the earth and could sense what was ahead.

"Did you not hear me say devastation?" he spoke. "No one is left except me. They fled at night. None wanted my burden and I cannot find my own way."

Suspicion reared up in Jessie as she peaked into a vacant house. This man didn't look like he needed or wanted her company. He had to have an ulterior motive. His teeth were too white for his status as he grinned, attempting reassurance towards her.

"The next town is a day's walk south. Let us make the journey together," he pushed on.

Jessie fought down the overwhelming urge to spit no at him. Aslan had brought her here for a reason. Her job was to help people and this man was unashamedly asking for her air.

"We leave now. What's your name?" With her frustration at the situation, Jessie's voice came out more clipped than usual.

But the man just smiled away. "You may call me Mag."

 **Well, there you go. Review and let me know what you think. I am absolutely thrilled to be writing these characters again.**


	2. Chapter 2

**(Natalie)**

While Natalie could appreciate a good dress, she knew practicality had to win out. Sage's pants were rolled thrice so that they would not drag the ground. The loose shirts sleeves were pushed up to her elbows in the cool autumn and a royal cloak was tied around her neck. When in Narnia she had to be prepared for anything, whether it be chasing after Samira when she stole her lime green bra or running to embrace the King of Narnia.

Caspian grunted, body no longer the force to be reckoned with it had been in his youth. Once he caught his footing, he hugged Natalie back readily. A boy a few years younger than Natalie lingered back beside Sage. Samira kicked his shin and he caught her into a squealing hold.

"How are you here?" Caspian pulled back to ask. "Darius, put your sister down before you break her." He turned his diverted attention back to Natalie and ran a hand through his all grey beard. "Never mind. I just sent Puddleglum with Eustace and Jill. If you hurry you can catch up with them."

"Who's Jill? What kind of name is Puddleglum? Eustace!" Natalie's voice caught as she thought of the boy she'd known so briefly. He was here too. She burst with laughter, hugging Caspian again, not bothering to listen to the answers of her questions.

"Why aren't you with them? We could use the help. It could be just like the old days," Natalie begged.

Caspian kissed her forehead and she braced herself for the let down. He even smelled different. Natalie felt a knot form in her throat as Caspian explained that he couldn't just take off on another adventure. He had a family, a nation, and a peace treaty to negotiate. On top of all that he was much too old to be traversing across country and sleeping on rocks.

Sage came forward, taking Caspian's hand in hers. "We have complete faith in you and the others, Nate." He finished.

They wanted her to leave them behind. They wanted her to travel alone. Natalie swallowed down the change like a lukewarm soup and pulled the cloak tighter around her arms.

"Which way did those hooligans head?" Natalie strode out the great oak doors that appeared to have the height built in to accommodate even the tallest giants. A black horse with white spots stamped her hooves in anticipation of the journey. "Why hello, gorgeous." Natalie threw her arms about the horse's neck and it huffed in complaint, nipping at a loose curl.

"Jill said north," Caspian said as Sage tied a bag of provisions to the saddle.

"This was Rilian's horse, Cleo. She's fast and true and will serve you well. Bring her back. Bring my son back." Water filled the brims of Sage's eyelids but her firm nature held. She would be strong for her lost child.

"Also, you and Eustace please resist the urge to strangle each other. I know how you get after spending too much time together." Caspian helped Natalie swing her short legs onto the tall mount and leveled a knowing grin up at her. That was the same, she decided. Caspian's teasing. Sage's mothering.

"I'm all an adult now. I make my own Doctor's appointments and everything. No need to worry, Cassie." She kicked his chest playfully.

"Wonderful, so we're adding adult hormones to the mix," Caspian deadpanned.

Sage pushed him aside and squeezed Natalie's hand fiercely. Looking down at her, Natalie saw how she burned to be on her own horse, preparing to face anything and everything that dared stand between her and Rilian. It took more courage for Sage to stay, to leave her oldest son's fate in the hands of others.

The trees bent in a gust of wind, whistling for Natalie to begin. Even the sun winked out behind a cloud in encouragement. Natalie glanced back at the ivory courtroom with its warm halls and food that smelled like it could have been plucked straight off Aslan's table. To her other side stretched a garden she could just picture Sage tending with equal dedication as she might show her own children. Before her stretched a cobblestone road leading out of the palace.

"Aslan will be with you," Sage spoke.

"And you. Don't let his head get too big for that crown of his. I hear they're a dick to resize," Natalie called, kicking off when she saw amused smiles grace both of the royals' faces. That's the image she wanted to carry as she rode.

Before long the sun came back out. Though it beat down relentlessly, the brisk wind kept its warmth from reaching through Natalie's cloak. The neatly maintained road transformed into gravel and then dirt. Cleo kicked up a sand storm in their wake, but Natalie did not relent behind the reins until her panting joined in the horse's.

A patch of wild yellow Narnian flowers beckoned her to join them in the shade of an ancient elm tree. Natalie slid off Cleo and face planted into the orange leaves, breathing in the fresh Narnian dirt. Cleo whinnied and stamped her hooves to continue.

"You need a break too. I know you want to find Rilian but you're no use worn out." She spoke without raising her head. The tree blocked the majority of the wind's wrath allowing sunlight to peak through the meagerly inhabited branches and nuzzle Natalie's skin. A strange bug crawled across her shin as if to inspect the newcomer and approve her like Aslan himself.

"Didn't Aslan say I wouldn't come back?" Natalie was in no way complaining; she was just confused and seeking answers from a bug who turned its antennas up and trotted back to disappear into the grass.

Cleo reared up and smashed both of her front hooves into the dirt so hard a cloud welled up in Natalie's face. She coughed, waving it away so she could scowl up at the controlling horse. How Rilian managed it, she could not fathom. Natalie sipped at her supply of water, and nibbled at the crust of a bread slice. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and she wondered what she would do if she didn't find the trio before nightfall. Cleo did not give off the impression that she was the cuddling type and Natalie doubted the blankets in the saddle bag would do much to ward of the nighttime chill. She'd have to find some sort of shelter, think back to her family camping trips and attempt to replicate her father's perfect fires.

A head-butt from Cleo drew Natalie out of her thoughts before she could dwell on her family too long. That was probably for the better. She didn't want to get homesick just yet. Another head-butt and an irritated huff caught Natalie's attention. Cleo was pacing madly, head shaking back and forth as if she was considering leaving her rider behind.

"Ok, I'm up. Show me what you want then we call it a night. Deal?" Cleo only inclined her head, hearing something Natalie could not make out.

Gathering her belongings, she clambered ungracefully into the saddle and they set off once again. This time it was all of half an hour before Cleo skidded to such a hasty stop, Natalie was thrown from the saddle to straddle the horse's muscled neck.

"Ok, ow. Cleo we need to work on your communication skills. Next time warning would be appreciated." Natalie eased her sore pelvis to the ground, wondering why Cleo felt so anxious to show her a cottage straight out of a horror movie. A man with a chainsaw could jump out at any moment.

The door flew open and Natalie screamed, throwing herself behind Cleo. This was her fault after all.

"By Aslan, Cleo, how did you get all the way out here?" a shriveled and petulant voice asked.

"Puddleglum what was that noise?" a female voice joined the other.

"A sign, maybe. It seems the young prince's mare has found us," the first replied.

What had been the names Caspian mentioned? Natalie racked her brain, cursing herself for not having better information retention or being able to pay attention in the first place.

A pair of large feet in brown boots strode forward. Natalie squeaked and moved as far away from them as Cleo could shield her.

"I hope you know I can see your pants, mate." A man stepped around Cleo. She nestled her head against his broad, towering shoulders contentedly.

Natalie narrowed her eyes at the display of affection wondering why Cleo never did that with her. She was so distracted she did not notice the man's face as it contorted from suspicion to recognition. "Nate?"

Natalie knew that nickname. She knew those pale blue eyes and that thick British accent. But paired with the overgrown body, it took a minute to connect together. Finally, she staggered back to crane her neck at the man whose height she'd once matched. "Stacey, how the hell did you get up there?"

He smiled endearingly, and she felt her heart hiccup. _That_ feeling was new. Maybe not entirely, but to this extreme it definitely was. "Did your parents not give you this talk?" he mocked. Definitely Eustace. He'd just grown in to his eyebrows.

She was a split second away from barreling into his arms to test out what new strength he possessed when a girl walked around Cleo. The horse pressed a kiss to her cheek before trotting over to befriend the one called Puddleglum. He wasn't human, but Natalie's knowledge of Narnian creatures was limited. Cleo's tail swatter Natalie's face as she left and the girl stomped her foot in irritation.

"Nate from the Dawn Treader?" the girl asked. She and Eustace shared the same accent.

She was younger than both Eustace and Natalie, but her heart shaped face told of wisdom beyond her years. Short lobbed off brown hair brushed just under her chin and dark green eyes peered down beneath blunt bangs. Natalie was not sure what to make of her or how closely she stood to Eustace. Or the pang that resonated in her chest for that matter.

"I'm from Minneapolis, but yeah. I was on the Dawn Treader too," Natalie responded, strangely devoid of emotion.

"That must have been amazing. I'm Jill Pole." Jill stretched out her hand.

Natalie considered making a stripper reference, but decided it was still too early in the relationship for that. She settled on a nod and shook the girl's hand. "We just heated up some food. There's only three rooms, but you can share mine since you'll be joining us." Jill was all business and she strode away with a confidence Natalie found herself jealous of.

Puddleglum called for them to hurry up so the food wouldn't get cold. Eustace just rolled his eyes and lilted his head towards the cottage. Natalie followed him in, hands stuffed deep in her pockets. Jill was quiet and thoughtful throughout the meal. Puddleglum occasionally complained about the weather or the road ahead. Eustace would joke with him and keep the conversation from stilling. Natalie, for her part, sleep ate. She had never known horseback riding could be so draining. Jill led her to the room farthest down the hallway and helped her set up a pallet on the floor.

They had no candles so it was pitch black as Natalie lay on her back, exhausted but unable to find sleep. Her eyes adjusted lethargically, and she could make out the rotting overhead beams. They would be lucky if this place didn't collapse around them during the night. When she could see the door, she gathered her blanket around her shoulders like a cape and slipped out of the room.

The first room she checked was inhabited by a snoring Puddleglum who, as she had learned, was a marsh-wiggle. Eustace was in the last room, sitting up in his blankets with his elbows proper against knobby knees. He looked up hearing Natalie enter and pushed himself to his feet.

"Missed me already?"

"Shut up," Natalie said and dashed into his waiting arms. Her hands locked behind his neck and her face buried into his short dark blonde hair. Her toes dangled from the ground as he lifted her up in the hug. This was what she needed, to properly greet Eustace. His breath was hot against her temple and his hand strong along her lower back. And the feeling like her heart was about to take flight had returned.

"Hello," she breathed. "I never go to say that. And yes, I've been missing you for seven years."

 **Well? Much awaited reunion! How are y'all feeling so far?**


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope everyone is liking the addition of Jessie as a main character. She's very different than our original girls, but she is awesome in her own way!**

 **(Jessie)**

Trust was hardly a word Jessie would use in reference to her relationship with the ever arrogant and domineering Mag. He jabbered on and on about how the flight pattern of the Narnian native birds could be used to determine oncoming storms or about why moss only grows on the north side of trees in this forest. At least the latter was a useful tool for when the sun disappeared behind the canopy of leaves, but Jessie refused to admit that to the already cocky man. It was any wonder he had ever been able to claim the title of Knight in the first place.

A steel blade without a hilt was tucked into the pockets of her nurse's uniform. It was about the same length as a syringe, so it fit nicely. When she found it, she hid it away in case Mag turned on her and proved to be an enemy. Currently, she considered threatening him with it just to silence his blabbering. Why did he sound nervous when addressing her? Was it because he was leading her into a trap?

Jessie was no stranger to weapons. Her time in Narnia consisted of fighting just to stay alive, learning sword play from the hand of the High King, and learning more about this magical land than she knew of her own home. Maybe that was because Peter told her so many stories of the Golden Age that her head had to scramble to absorb every detail.

Peter.

Even thinking his name felt like tracing her fingers down the length of a poorly healed scar. The wound was clear, and though the pain was numb now, it was easy to dredge up. Memories bubbled to the front of mind eager to relive all the complexities of emotions that name brought with it. She remembered when they first met; she hadn't spoken to anyone but Susan for days on end because she was adamantly convinced her presence in Narnia was an intricate dream. Finally, Peter frustrated her to the point that she snapped at him and he had the gall to laugh. Lucy followed suit, then Edmund and Susan, until eventually Jessie gave into the crinkled blue eyes and wrinkled school boy in his uniform and laughed along.

Things had been easy in the beginning. She and Peter migrated towards each other, not always needing to talk, but just to know the other was near. He had been irrational, good humored, proud, and noble; and Jessie had loved him for all of it.

"That's not supposed to be there." Mag's tone was tinged with trepidation and thrust Jessie out of her nostalgia instantly.

He kicked the broken chimney that had been ripped from the roof of a house. In the village that seemed to have materialized out of the fog before them, dark smoke rose from buildings, mingling with the already clouded air. The wooden railing that once fenced in the small collection of edifices was now smashed into the ground, stepped on like it offered no more resistance than a feeble flower. Mag tilted his head and breathed deeply.

"Giants beat us here. We should scavenge for food then find shelter for the night," Mag instructed.

Jessie was too worn out to argue with him. The soles of her feet screaming even in her shoes designed for all day walking. He moved in front of her with an almost comical protective stance and selected his way carefully around the rubble.

Though Jessie had her sights set on borrowing a horse once they'd arrived here and setting off on her own towards Cair Paravel, the prospect of sleep proved a good compromise, even if it meant more quality time with Mag. She poked her head into several of the still standing houses before declaring once hospitable. Mag cradled slightly charred bread in his hands and a few slices of cheese that looked surprisingly unharmed from the destruction.

They ate in blessed silence; Jessie thanked Aslan that Mag had enough manners to not talk with his mouth full. Mag's eyes darted down to the floor, bare feet flexing like he'd felt a vibration in the earth. He set down his food and moved to press his ear against one of the boarded up windows.

"Do you hear something?" Jessie asked, getting to her feet and fingering the dull blade in her pocket.

Mag shushed her and tightened his grip on the sturdy metal cane. "Wait here, Lady Jessie."

It was the formal use of her title that pinned her feet to the floor, giving him time to bar the door behind him as he left. Jessie hurled herself against it, bewildered at how the slim wood held against her weight. Now Jessie heard it - the thud of oversized feet slapping against the ground, the low groan of voices too deep to be human. Giants. They had not entirely evacuated the town. And now Mag was out there alone with them.

 _Stupid_ blind man. Jessie wedged her blade into the crack of the door, pushing the bar up so hard the metal cut into her skin. The footsteps were closer now, right outside the house, and she stopped to decipher what they were saying.

Mag spoke first. Of course he did, Jessie thought to herself. "Have you come back for the likes of me?" If he survived this, Jessie swore to kill him herself.

"You think your poor disguise fools us Son of Adam?" The giant voice made the very ground tremble.

Jessie darted to the door, prying at the boards blocking her in. Splinters dug into her hands, but she didn't stop until a crack ran down the center. Jessie took the blunt side of her blade and slammed it into the wood. It crumpled outwards and Jessie felt as if she might follow in its example. Three giants surrounded Mag with identical sneers of contempt. What had that idiotic beggar done to anger them so much that they would recognize his face instantly?

Mag shifted on his feet lazily, staring straight ahead at nothing. "Aren't you supposed to be peace lovers?" he was saying. "Giants don't raid innocent villages, especially giants as ancient as you. No one has called me that in centuries."

Called him what? How much of the conversation had Jessie missed trying to gain freedom? Jessie shimmied out of the lean opening in the window feeling it tear away at her already haggard clothing. She readied the blade for attack. She could probably take one by surprise, digging the blade into his tree trunk sized calf before he knew what happened.

"We're just trying to do our part. Prince Rilian has been missing for months now. We want him found as much as any other Narnian. We can feel his presence in the north, but it's faint. We fear he doesn't have much time left. We can't help it that everyone is afraid of us. And we don't mean to break things. They're just so small and delicate." The same voice spoke. This giant was the smallest and had a ponytail woven out of green vines.

Mag nodded diplomatically and Jessie staggered her attack to a halt at the gesture. How could he believe them so easily? How could he remain so calm when her heart was slamming into her ribs demanding action?

"Your help is appreciated, but my companion and I will take over from here." The giants turned and stifled gasps at Mag's nod towards where Jessie stood.

"Lady Jessie."

"You fought with our King."

"Truly this is a day blessed by the great lion." The three spoke in turn with lowered eyes.

Jessie hid her weapon sheepishly and blushed at the praise. The giants turned back to Mag and took knees. Mag raised a hand and sent them on their way. Jessie opened and shut her mouth before her gaze fell to Mag's hand still clutching his cane like he was still preparing for a fight. When the creatures were finally out of sight, he sagged his full weight onto the walking staff. Jessie liked to think she was a relatively kind and understanding person, so she felt bad for her next words.

"What the hell was that?" Jessie whispered.

Mag blinked at her, exhausted by the politics of speaking to giants.

"How did you know them?" Jessie continued.

"Same way you did," Mag answered mysterious before meandering back into the house.

The blonde woman crossed her arms, refusing to follow just yet. The way Mag had spoken to those giants, just like the way he addressed Jessie, told of a familiar confidence. It made her head spin to think about. He could be some crazy century old man for all she knew with endless years of experience under his belt. He could be the reason that this Prince Rilian disappeared. What gave the giants such unquestioning faith in him?

"Who's Prince Rilian?" Jessie demanded when she went inside.

Mag slid something that glinted back under his robe of rags and turned to face her. His lower lip was pulled between his teeth making him appear years younger. "King Caspian's eldest son. The heir to the throne. An evil has taken him and it is our responsibility to find him," Mag responded matter-of-factly.

"Why is it our responsibility? I can understand Aslan asking it of me because he's done something similar before but you…" Jessie trailed off, never one for picking fights.

"Me?" Mag flashed his bright smile. Too white for a beggar. "You're wondering what Aslan would want from a blind, broke, ass of a man. I asked him that myself, but he's never been one for giving straight answers."

"You saw Aslan?"

"Mere moments before you came across me. He told me who you were and what needed to be done."

"And you felt no need to tell me? Or warn me that giants were coming?" Jessie snapped.

With a faint frown on his lips, he shrugged. His robe moved just enough for her to discern a sword strapped to his waist beneath it. The fabric covered it just as quickly and Jessie raised her attention back to his dirty face. "Aslan said you had to figure it out for yourself. Something about learning to trust people besides yourself."

Jessie's pale pink lips parted in retaliation, but it quickly faded. He was right; hadn't she just been mulling over whether or not she could rely on this eccentric man?

"Let's…just get some sleep. We'll get an early start this morning," Jessie rubbed her eyes and swayed on her feet. She hissed when pain laced up from her hands.

"Hell, what did you do, Jess? Couldn't fight the giants, so you took on the door?" Jessie went perfectly still as Mag sought out her hands and pressed his calloused fingertips along the cuts and splinters. She knew his voice for a minute. Like a flash of lighting illuminating the darkness of this adventure, but the recognition slipped away just as quickly. She was left with a furrowed brow and an itch in her memory that she couldn't place as he doctored her hands.

"I can't just stand by when people are in danger and I can help," she murmured.

 **Does Mag seem mysterious to anyone else? He's a very important character that you already know from the books in disguise. That's all I will say for his secret!**


	4. Chapter 4

**(Sage)**

"Your grace."

Propriety told Sage she should respond to the voice addressing her, but she was so caught up in proofreading the treaty before her that she could not provide even a piece of her attention. Calormen would be expecting this document within a few weeks time. In order for it to reach the hands of their King by then, Sage needed to send a messenger out with it before nightfall. A sword covered in mud and spots of red was thrown on top of the scroll, marring its carefully dictated words.

Sage's blood simmered as she lurched to her feet to look into the eyes of who would dare disturb a Queen in such a way. Darius glared down from his gangly height with bloodshot eyes and arms folded as much as his practice armor would allow. His long brown hair was pulled into a tight knot at the crown of his head. Left over rain water ran down his tan face, though Sage suspected some of those drops were his own angry tears mingling with hard earned sweat. At his side stood his sparring partner and longtime trainer, Theon. His nose was scarlet and crooked, definitely broken. Large purple bruises dotted underneath weary dark eyes.

Running a hand through her loose hair, Sage fought back a sigh. "What happened?" she asked reasonably.

"He was too slow. If he's to be my mentor, then he should be able to block a 17-yearold's hits," Darius defended, sniffing when he finished.

Theon, though short and round, held his head back when he spoke to match the grace that Prince Darius should possess. "This match was meant to be kept below the neck. He lashed out when I mentioned Prince Rilian and his superior fighting ability."

"It's not my fault you're so short. It couldn't be helped." Darius snapped, fresh tears falling to join the dampness on his cheeks. He spun trying to conceal them from any onlookers.

"Theon please go see the physician while I speak to my son," Sage spoke placidly. "I will see to it that you are compensated for this misfortune."

The trainer nodded obediently and swiftly exited the room. Sage traced her hand along a family portrait hanging on the wall over her writing desk. Three pairs of brown eyes peered back at her. All her children took after their father with his dark features, though she took pride when sunlight would bring out auburn tints to Darius's hair. She touched Rilian's outline with his slim shoulders and wide jaw. He was always serious just as he thought a future King should behave, but when he was alone with his siblings he would joke around just like his father.

"Dar, we all miss him. That does not mean…"

"Oh, sure you miss him!" Darius cut her off, brown eyes burning with bottled up emotions. "I can tell by all the times you and dad talk about him. Oh, wait you don't. Ril disappears and you two act like he was never here to begin with!"

Sage staggered with the force of his words, heart seizing up at the mere mention of her oldest son. "That's not fair," she whispered.

"Because Aslan was so fair to abandon Ril? To abandon us when all we do is pray to him for any kind of help? We should be sending an army out after him, but instead we send four complete strangers. Dad didn't even know that Jill girl, but he still entrusted her with his heir's life!" Darius was no longer shouting. His voice wavered and cracked at points, but he pushed forward in thoughts too well articulated to not have been constantly bombarding him.

"You know we cannot send troops out. Any act of aggression could frighten Calormen and destroy our peace treaty."

"Why is that more important than finding your own child!" Darius stormed out, snatching up his sword as he passed.

The treaty fluttered to the floor looking exactly how Sage felt: battered and worn out. She gathered it up and walked to her bedroom across the hall. Caspian lay on the floor with thick glasses set on his nose and a dusty book held at arm's length so he could read its contents. The last orange rays of light crept in the window and clung to his weathered skin. His belt lay discarded on a wooden chest with carvings telling of his rise to power, a wedding gift from one of the women of the stars. His maroon shirt was untucked and rode up his slightly pudgy stomach.

"I heard yelling. Was it Darius again? Did you get to finish revising the treaty?" Caspian asked, setting down his book and peering up at his wife.

"Darius broke Theon's nose. He thinks we don't care that Rilian is missing." Sage sat beside his head, threading her fingers through his fragile hair.

"I'll work with him tomorrow. When I'm done, he won't have enough energy left to look at someone wrong. He can't go around taking out his angst on others."

Sage handed him the treaty and he groaned, rubbing at his eyes beneath the lenses of his glasses. "We'll send one of the spare copies. You agreed with all the terms?" Caspian inquired.

"I guess," Sage murmured, mind a hundred worlds away, wherever Rilian was. She understood how Caspian could throw himself into this treaty full force. She found herself doing it most days as well, just as Darius accused. The never spoke of Rilian, never so much as let him enter her thoughts unless necessary. She was left feeling ragged and defeated after bouts of crying; that was the only way she ever managed to fall asleep.

"Why are you on the ground?" Sage asked to distract herself. Avoid the problem. That's all she ever did.

"My chest was hurting again. That bed is too damn soft. This feels good," Caspian replied, massaging a hand along his sternum. Sage smiled down at her strange husband. Too many nights spent in a forest or on a boat had given him a strange pallet.

With a grunt he pushed to sit up. He took a few minutes to work the kinks out of his muscles before squaring his shoulders and offering Sage a hand up as well. She rose and drew her hand back quickly. Every time she looked at Caspian too long she saw Rilian. While Samira and Darius had traces of her in them, Rilian was all but a carbon copy of his father. And it made her gut ache with misery when Caspian stared back with those soulful brown eyes.

"Why don't you go tuck in Samira? I'll go get this treaty sent." Caspian spoke to ease the tension. When all Sage could manage was a nod, he strode off down the hallway wringing the destroyed treaty in his hands.

Taking a few moments, Sage collected herself before walking three doors down to Samira's room. The dark wood of her door was decorated with every drawing Samira could cram into the space. Inside her room even more adorned the cream colored walls. Her bed sheets were a pale pink and she was piled among her assortment of stuffed animals reading from a book aloud.

"Then King Edmund said, 'Not today you witch,' and chopped her evil wand in half!" Samira depicted this action quite viciously and turned the book so her animals could see the picture for themselves. "Bartholomew, get out of the way. Rilly can't see," Samira chastised one dwarf.

Sage's soft smile vanished at the nickname she used for her brother. "You ready for bed, Sami?" she called.

"Mommy, did King Edmund have brown eyes like me?" Samira chunked the book to the ever growing pile on the floor and dove beneath her covers.

"His were a bit darker, but yes. Why?" Sage removed a few animals and snuggled into the space beside her daughter.

"Our children would have beautiful brown eyes." She sighed dramatically and threw her arm over her forehead.

"I thought you were in love with Peter?" Sage teased.

Samira fluttered her lips and rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious. "He's so boring. All the girls in my tutoring sessions gush over him. So I decided that when King Edmund comes back, I will marry him."

Coaxing her daughter's hair from its braid, Sage gently combed the knots out. Samira's thick eyelashes fell down in one swoop and her breathing grew steady.

"Were you talking to Rilian?" she whispered.

Samira hummed and rolled onto her stomach, giving her mother further access to her hair. Her nightgown had ridden up under her shoulders, but the young girl made no move to adjust it. She fumbled for her favorite spotted lion and pulled it closer to cuddle with. "I always talk to him. He never hears me though."

She was fast asleep before the tears slipped down Sage's face.

 **Give me some feed back guys! How is this sequel doing? Is it living up to the original?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's an update. Thanks for all the lovely reviews!**

 _ **(Natalie)**_

"I found her!"

Puddleglum's jarring voice wrenched Natalie from sleep. Eustace did not stir just yet, being an exceptionally heavy sleeper. The grouchy girl found herself wrapped in her own blanket, but nose to nose with her long lost friend. Disquieted emotions stirred as she stared at his slumbering form.

"You know," Jill came to join Puddleglum in the doorway, her mousy brown locks resembling a bale of hay. "If you wanted to sleep in here, you could have just told me. Instead I woke up anxious about your whereabouts. Breakfast is waiting, but the sun will not. Get him up and let's set out."

She and the marsh-wiggle were vastly different traveling companions than Sage and Caspian. There was no joking around or teasing that Natalie expected when she fell asleep whispering with Eustace. While Sage liked to control situations as much as Jill, the former at least had hints of humor and did so out of love. Natalie could not quite figure out what was motivating Jill. Sure, she was Eustace's friend, but she didn't know Caspian, much less Narnia. Still, there was something that reminded her of Sage in the younger girl; maybe it was the same shade of green in their eyes.

A poke to the forehead made Eustace groan in the early morning dustings of sunlight. He rolled onto his stomach sweat from the night turning the blonde hair at the base of his neck dark. Natalie shook his elbow now, feeling how warm his skin was.

"Stacey, if you have a fever we're going to have to fight." Natalie climbed onto his back, nudging down his thick blanket with her actions. Briefly she wondered when he'd removed his shirt and touched the childish freckles on his shoulders. At least there were traces of his childhood left. Natalie pressed a hand to his forehead hearing him exhale deeply.

"You're crushing my lungs," he grumbled.

"Do you feel nauseous? Dizzy? If you're gonna puke, let me know so that I can get clear," Natalie responded.

"I'm just hot. I always get hot in my sleep. You're not really making it better."

Natalie clambered to her feet trying to remember if she'd thought of him as hot on the Dawn Treader. She was certain she'd never used that word to describe him. They'd been kids. Picking on each other was considered the highest form of foreplay.

"What's that about foreplay?" Eustace sat up, blinking blindly in the light.

Natalie glanced about, wondering who was voicing her thoughts. When her eyes returned to Eustace he was thankfully clothed, but his eyes were broadened in a scrutinizing manner. "Are you going to pretend you weren't mumbling about foreplay?" There was no teasing in his voice, only hesitant confusion.

"Clearly I chose the wrong time to interrupt, but Jill said to warn you two that she will begin without you." Puddleglum shifted awkwardly in the doorway. Natalie had never been more in love with him.

She readily took the escape and dashed away. Grabbing her cloak from her own room, she entered the kitchen just as Eustace was stuffing a handful of berries into his mouth. "Morning, Nate," he called.

"Natalie, we're going to use Cleo mostly for carrying our supplies, so you'll have to walk," Jill brushed past Eustace and set the last of the berries into her palm.

After a few more minutes of prepping, Jill ushered them all out the door. Eustace took Cleo's harness, leading her after us. The horse seemed content enough with this arrangement and kept passive aggressively making him walk slower than the rest of us. Jill took up the lead with the only bag that wouldn't fit on Cleo's saddle strapped across her back. Though it looked to be packed with nothing but small boulders, she didn't let the added weight slow her pace. Puddleglum trudged in the middle with Natalie, spewing complaints about how in his marsh there was always a pleasant humidity in the air.

As hours passed, Natalie began to realize how little her daily yoga routines did to prepare her for a quest such as this. Her calves throbbed for relief from the repetitive walking motion. The beige of her boots was cake with so much dirt that they blended in to the narrow road. Natalie busied her mind with counting the variety of trees they passed. Some would barely reach her fingertips if she stood beside them and others were so tall, she was sure their highest branches tickled the gloomy sky above.

"Caspian must have a lot of faith to entrust you to oversee the finding of his son," Eustace spoke up.

Puddleglum puffed out his chest which was about as wide as a plane of glass and tilted his nose so far up the point of his long hat swatted Eustace's face. "I am his most trusted advisor," he declared.

"He looks so different," Eustace noted. "Do you remember when he still had his long flowing hair? I almost didn't recognize him without it or a sword strapped to his side."

"His daughter acts just like him—all sass and no class," Natalie responded laughing at her own wit.

"Did you see Prince Darius? The first thing he said to me was how come I didn't have whiskers. Apparently he thinks all heroes have to grow full beards." Eustace stroked his bare jaw, quirking a half smile.

"He's been working on what he has his whole life. I think there's been significant progress," Jill called back.

Eustace proudly jutted out his chin and Natalie giggled, falling back to touch it. Her fingers found a few rough patches, but they were such a pale blonde they were all but invisible. "See? I worked hard on this and the little Caspian just insulted my manhood."

"I thought the gang of girls that chased us into that janitor's closet took the rest of that. That closet brought us here, though so I'm glad you didn't attempt to defend us," Jill said.

"Us? That was all you. Maybe you shouldn't go around telling people that their stolen items still have the price tag on them."

"How was I supposed to know it was stolen? Maybe you shouldn't have threatened to call the bobbies."

He flipped her off and she rolled her eyes. Natalie marveled at the glimpse of their friendship. Jill must give him a tough time, but that's exactly what Eustace needed.

"Weren't you in a battle on the Dawn Treader with King Caspian? Why did you not merely fight off this hoard of females?" Puddleglum questioned.

"He was a dragon during that," Jill answered before Eustace could. "And before, when he had the chance to learn swordsman skills, he was mostly a prick."

"You pay far too much attention to my stories, Bambi."

Jill scowled at the name and cut her eyes away from Eustace. "She got that the night before finals when our friends came up with the brilliant idea to go to a strip club." He whispered in Natalie's ear.

Hearing Eustace talk about his life back home was disconcerting. Sure in theory, she knew he didn't spend his days waiting around for her and Narnia, but actually having him confirm that made her stomach twist in jealously. Why was she jealous of his home life? Because she wasn't a part of it, a voice spoke in the back of her head. That was ridiculous. Natalie forced her head out of her ass and grinned up at Eustace.

"Jill Pole can work a pole?"

…

By the time they reached the first northern city which consisted of a few clay huts and homes carved straight into the sheer cliffs of a towering mountain, the sun had sunk low enough to allow a few shadows to tease the ground. The chill of the fast approaching night made even the wildlife fall silent. Jill led the way into the sturdiest looking cave, lingering in light patches touched by the sun before setting down her bag. Puddleglum stayed outside, tying off Cleo.

"Stacey, you unload and I'll help Bambi get dinner cooking," Natalie pushed his chest as she passed and he jabbed a finger into her side.

They all set to work, Natalie rubbing dry sticks together in a pathetic attempt to create fire while Jill unloaded the perishable food items from her bag.

"Greet an old friend. Journey north to ancient giants. Do what writing in stone city says. Rilian will ask for something in the name of Aslan." Jill chanted this once more before Natalie asked what it was.

"Something Aslan told me to remember. Don't worry about it," Jill responded coyly.

Something shifted in the darkness towards the back of the cave. Natalie stood, twin sticks as her only defense and stepped closer to the noise. Her eyes strained to make out something. A figure lunged towards her, knocking her back hard against the ground. A crazy woman straddled her with a handless blade clutched in her shaking hands.

Natalie didn't stop to question her, but threw a well aimed punch to her jugular, using the woman's breathless state to take the upper hand. She knocked the blade away and caught a fist before it could connect with her face. A knee landed against Natalie's ribs and she fell back, seeing white spots.

"Don't move!" Jill's steel voice rang out.

When Natalie could see again, she took in Jill holding the attacking woman at the point of her own knife, pressed up against the wall. Puddleglum stood in the doorway calling frantic orders at everyone. Another shape emerged from the shadows, this one a man who wasted no time in cracking his cane against Jill's wrist. The girl, cried out but refused to lose the knife so easily. She lashed out towards the man who had his eyes wrapped in a black cloth. He reacted too slow, clearly not expecting Jill to fight back and the knife caught against his cheek.

The woman, now free, tackled Jill to the ground. That spurred Natalie back into action. Ignoring the burn in her ribs, she elbowed the man sharply on the soft of his stomach. That was the only blow she landed, surprise her only aid. She was twisted around so fast, that the ground wobbled beneath her feet a moment. The man pushed his cane against her throat, cutting off all air.

"Jessie?"

Eustace finally decided to join the party and froze at the scene before him. Instead of looking to Natalie whose shoes no longer touched the floor, his eyes were fixed on the insane blonde woman. Her head jerked at the name and her muscles slumped. The man holding Natalie dropped her in an instant, opening his mouth and slamming it shut.

"Eustace?" The woman he'd addressed as Jessie gasped, still breathless from Natalie's blow.

The dark haired girl grinned with pride in her abilities as she curled against the ground, sucking down air. "That was fun," she deadpanned. Natalie's side ached and she had no doubt there would be a colorful bruise there by morning.

"Who's…how are…what the hell?" Eustace finished smartly.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry. We thought you were raiders." Jessie scrambled off of Jill who flew to her feet, anger turning her face red.

"Who are you?" Jill had no trouble demanding answers.

Jessie explained her presence in Narnia and how she came across the blind man who was called Mag. She explained their encounter with giants and how they came to search for Prince Rilian through several villages until they arrived here. Eustace finally clapped her on the shoulder and went to check on Jill who was nursing her tender wrist. Mag apologized and helped her wrap it. In turn, she cleaned the cut she'd made across his face.

Puddleglum meanwhile, oblivious to the new arrivals, had started up a fire with a snap of his fingers and settled in to eat his dinner.

"I am so sorry," Jessie gushed to Natalie who was massaging her right side.

"Least I know you can fight. Don't need any more useless people like Eustace," Natalie clipped as he sat across from her.

Jessie smiled kindly and excused herself to supervise the cleaning of Mag's cut.

"Who is she?" Natalie asked flinching away when Eustace raised a hand to touch her side.

"Caspian mentioned her, I don't know if you remember. Her name's Jessie Horan. She used to date Peter. She fought with Caspian to defeat his uncle. And I didn't mean to be gone so long. Your little fire just looked so sad. I was trying to find you some dead things that might make igniting it easier. I didn't know you would start a war with allies while I was gone."

Natalie nodded and eased herself to lay flat. "If you don't mind, I'll skip excitement for the rest of the day."

The cave was filled with only the quiet murmurs of conversation for a while. No one felt much like eating anymore. Natalie slowed her breathing till her throat no longer burned when air passed through it. She felt the last warmth of sunlight leave and owl hoots started up. She shut her eyes, allowing the day's exhaustion to overcome her.

Vaguely she was aware of a blanket draping over her body and then a soft warmth against her forehead that made her heart dance merrily. A kiss. Did Eustace think she was asleep? She didn't move to make him think otherwise, but locked the small display of affection away carefully.


	6. Chapter 6

**Big things are revealed here y'all. Hope everyone is up for it! :)**

 **(Jessie)**

Perfectly dreadful was how Jessie woke up feeling. First, her throat still ached from Eustace's tiny and surprisingly powerful friend. Second, guilt ate her up for overreacting and being the cause of every single injury in their little encampment. Poor Jill had a sprained wrist and Natalie's favor for the left side of her body was painfully noticeable. Even idiotic Mag had become involved, resulting in a shallow cut across his cheek. At least it wasn't severe enough to need stitches. Jessie feigned to think what would happen if someone needed serious medical care in Narnia. Her options were beyond limited.

Mag had even warned her to wait in the dark and judge whether the indistinguishable group of new arrivals was a threat. Then she'd tripped over Mag in the dark and head placed a hand on the curve of her waist to steady her. Her start of surprise was loud enough to capture Natalie's attention. At the prospect of being caught, Jessie decided to initiate the action.

While the sun remained hidden behind a low lying cliff, tales of its coming turned the sky from black to a blush pink. Wisps of white clouds were chased away by the sharp wind cutting clean through the valleys of the mountainous north territory.

Jessie picked at the bandages on her hand. She'd changed them last night and seen the clean healing of the wounds, but having her hands constantly covered bothered her. She needed to be able to grip a blade effortlessly. She couldn't afford the hindrance if someone's life was in danger.

"I always loved a good sunrise." Mag plopped himself at her side and Jessie swore he smelled of old newspapers and licorice—two things Peter had always loved. "I'm from a big city and there was always something blocking the way so I'd have to climb to the very top of this hill right outside my house to even glimpse it."

"How'd you lose your sight?" Jessie found herself asking.

"I didn't lose anything," Mag responded mysteriously.

"Sure."

"I know you're probably blaming yourself for yesterday, but give me some credit. I'm the one who startled you. I shouldn't have touched you like that," Mag prattled one.

"You were just trying to help. It's not your fault you…" Jessie trailed off and swallowed thickly and combed her fingers through her long hair. She found a particularly unruly knot and picked at it. "You just remind me of someone I'd like to forget."

Mag was uncharacteristically quiet for a lengthy time. Perhaps, for once, he understood that she did not want to go further into detail on the subject. When he spoke, his tone was gentle and almost guilty. At least he had conscience enough feel badly about his question. "Is it someone from your world?" he pried.

"Tell you what, Mag, whenever you want to tell me that story about your eyes, I'll tell mine." Jessie pushed up and wandered back into the cave.

With a roll of his neck, Mag kicked at a dying daisy. He blew frustrated air from parted lips and ran rough hand under his eye cover, massaging the lids of his eyes. It was just like him to scare her away. He fingered the golden sword hilt under his robe wishing he could just pull it out and have the matter done with. Every time he considered this, Aslan's warning words would crop up. "It's not about being told; it's about knowing and understanding for yourself."

How was that lion always ready with more cryptic clues?

"Mag for magnificent?" The marsh-wiggle called Puddleglum took up the dip in rocks a few feet in front of him. From here Mag could only make out the top of his mud brown pointed hat. Unaccusing narrow shoulders were hunched over so that he could rest his bony elbows on the hard knobs of his knees.

"Pardon?" Mag asked, already knowing his cover was blown.

He didn't mind that the creature figured it out; it was the others he was concerned for—mostly how they would react.

"Why do you disguise yourself from your friends?" Puddleglum pushed on.

"Ask Aslan. If he gives you a straight answer, please let me know."

Puddleglum turned his head back and let his perpetually condescending sneer turn up into a knowing one. "Peter Pevensie, I have heard great stories about you. I am honored to be a part of one now. Although I don't expect you to live up to everything the legends say. Can you really transform into a lion at will?" The skepticism was back.

Mag laughed and shook his head, pulling the knit cap off his dirty golden hair. "Wouldn't that be a feat?"

"Natalie was that really necessary?" Eustace's shout quieted the discussion.

The before mentioned girl traipsed out of the cave with anger reddening her cheeks and sent squirrels scampering for shelter beneath bushed as she stormed out to where Cleo waited impatiently. Eustace charged after her with a charred slice of bread in his hands.

"Jill asked you to watch the food while she packed and you throw it into the fire?" Eustace caught her arm and Mag watched her eyes flash dangerously. He was surprised when all she did was shove him back a few steps instead of swinging at him.

"She accused me of being incompetent of readying our bags and then suggested I stick to making toast since it was impossible to screw up!" Natalie shot back.

Jill appeared at the entrance of the cave appearing exasperated. Jessie placed a hand on her upper arm speaking in soft tones.

"So you purposefully burned it?" Eustace challenged.

"I was just distracted ok! I didn't mean to burn the last of the bread. First Jessie decides it's a good idea to pick a fight with us. Then you kiss me without asking for permission. And then she…"

"It was barely a kiss. I thought you were asleep. I was worried about you," Eustace defended, bread crumbling his hands clutched it so tightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that made it ok. I don't want you to kiss me. I don't need you to worry about me!"

"Is there really time for this? Prince Rilian needs us to find him not have petty arguments," Jill cut in.

Natalie untied Cleo and set off towards the northwest; their intended destination was generally unknown. Jill touched Eustace's shoulder but he jerked away and began walking as well. Jill worked a hand through her thin tangled hair and beckoned the others to follow. Jessie fell to her side obediently and glanced back. Mag felt an undeniable tug at his emotions when her eyes glanced across his.

They set out with tension in the air of what had started out as a calm morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it's been a while you guys. College hit me hard. I've finally found a break and thought I'd use the opportunity to treat my wonderful readers!**

 **(Sage)**

Corset, dress, hair, makeup, shoes.

This routine had become a quick custom for Sage. It took all of a week for her to learn it and dismiss her maids from aiding in the process. Even though she was a Queen, she liked to think she could still do some things for herself. She was pushing the ripe age of 48 and though aches set deep within the hollows of her bones made her movements slower, she still accomplished them with equal amounts of vigor as she would have used in her youth.

Tonight was a special event, but then again every other evening was. A handful of honored knights and dignitaries would be arriving shortly to partake in yet another feast in the great dining hall. The whole palace acted like they weren't one wrong step away from ending the times of peace. Calormen was breathing down their backs and whoever had kidnapped Rilian was challenging them to their face. How was Sage expected to eat and play diplomat with those waiting downstairs?

She shifted her plain crème gown to sit just right against the hips that never quite returned to their slim dancer's build after giving birth. She swept a pale pink hoodless cape from her closet and settled it on her lap as she sat on the bed that was, well, fit for a Queen. Leaning her forehead against the silk purple canopy, her fingers twisted the pearls woven into the fabric of her cape as her mind pondered away at excuses to avoid going down to dinner. From the open balcony doors, cool air rushed in to caress her stressed mind.

Caspian emerged from their shared bathroom then, securing his brown belt about his waist. His grey hair was slicked back out of his face. Sage traced her eyes along the three laughing wrinkles stretching up from the corner of each eye to his hairline. She loved those wrinkles; she loved making him laugh and knowing more would follow someday as they aged together.

"Are you about ready?" Caspian spoke, checking the ties of his tunic to make sure he was not bearing too much of his chest.

His eyes traced over hers for only a moment before skipping deliberately away. He was so distant lately. Ever since Rilian had vanished, Caspian spoke less and less. Seeing him with Natalie had sparked hope in Sage, but the moment the old friend was gone, so was the man she'd married. The one before he'd buried his head in business so that there was no room left for anything else. While that helped him with the grieving process, and Sage had to admit she found herself doing the same most days, it also drove miles and miles between hearts that had once been so closely intertwined there was no room left for any of this pain. All she could do was watch him from a distance, like the stars to the moon. Recently, Sage felt their titles were more accurate than ever. The mysterious moon looked so close to the judicious stars in the glorious blue night sky, but that was all an allusion.

"Do we really have to go down? Can't we just skip this one thing?" Sage asked.

"We invited these men personally. It would be rude to do so."

"Our son is missing. Do people really expect us to continue performing as if nothing happened? Our guests would understand if we cancelled. We are in mourning."

Caspian came to stand so that the balcony door framed his slightly hunched frame. The moon's illustrious yellow light encircled him, as if feeling the need to give a physical representation to her earlier thoughts.

"Mourning implies that we have lost someone. Rilian is not dead," Caspian snapped, voice hard and emotionless.

"Alright, well I still don't want to go make small talk when Aslan knows what's happening to him! He could be being starved or tortured or…"

"Can you stop talking about it?!" Caspian's hands were fluttering about his heart. His face was an unusually pale palor.

"We never talk about it! Didn't you see Darius the other day? He's lost without Rilian. He needs his parents. If we can't even talk about it to each other, how do we expect him to feel like he can talk to us?"

"Darius is a hardheaded boy. He knows his brother will be fine."

"I can't lose another child, Caspian," Sage whispered.

"Shit, Sage, you're not gonna lose him. Rilian's not gone. He will come home. Darius will cope."

"I wasn't talking about them."

He sank to the trunk at the foot of their bed, head lowered and nails biting into the cushion beneath him. He was trying to swallow back anger; Sage could see the tension in his drawn shoulders. Their spat was charged on dark emotions for an unknown enemy, not on actual feelings of resentment towards each other. Silence crawled into the room and seated itself between the royal couple. It watched with satisfaction as the tension climbed higher and higher still.

"She had your eyes," Caspian murmured finally.

 _Pale, unblinking green eyes stared up at Sage. Sweat and tears blurred her vision, but that was ok. She did not want to see anymore. A nurse took the still born child from her arms, swatting its bottom and pressing its chest to get it to emit even the smallest of cries. Caspian had his own eyelids shut when she turned to him, whole body aching from the labor. She touched his hand and he flinched, letting how quiet the little girl had been fully sink in. Sage sobbed because someone had to, if not the baby then her. Caspian sat on the bed, gathering her up into his arms and kissed her forehead so many times she was certain his lips would be permanently imprinted onto her skin. He told her it was alright if Darius and Rilian didn't have another sibling. He told her it would be ok._

He made no such promises now.

"I didn't know you looked," Sage said.

"Of course I looked. She was my daughter. So, do you really think I am not grieving for Rilian too?"

Sage folded her fingers together over her stomach.

"I love him and I love you, but I love Narnia as well. And our people need to see us being strong. Whether Rilian comes back or not," Caspian swallowed thickly as he let the possibility slip past his lips. "we will have to endure no matter how this ends. I'm sorry for raising my voice, darling."

Sage kissed his lips, feeling that full beard scratch at her. "I'm ready," she told him.

With some groaning he stood to his feet and offered her his arm. Sage slid her cloak around her shoulders and set her hand against the crook of his elbow. Together they set off down the winding familiar halls. There was the corner Rilian had plowed into and cut his head open. There was where Darius convinced Rilian to jump from the second story window. There was the little hideaway where Rilian and Samira would meet up to read when it was a quiet day in the palace. Traces of her son were everywhere. This place was his home and he did not need to be away from it. She would go down and be a polite monarch alongside her husband. She would offer small talk and listen intently to keep the peace throughout the nation. She would do all this so that her son would have a wonderful home to come back to.


	8. Chapter 8

**(Natalie)**

Mountains seemed to grow out of the ground the further Natalie walked through the valley. They rose up like Russian nesting dolls until the tops of the tallest disappeared into the blue of the sky. The grass down here was dead and only bare bushes dotted the ground as signs of life. The dark haired girl kicked up as much dirt as she could, hoping it hit anyone who dared walk too close to her. She felt feverish and freezing and nauseous and giddy all at once. Was she sick? If she shut her eyes, she saw a flash of headlights and felt as if she were spinning endlessly.

Cleo jerked on the reins in her hand, making her eyes fly open. She had just enough time to register a giant with a head the size of a boulder lurking down the side of a mountain. He held a head sized boulder in his hand and in the time it took her to realize what was happening, the rock was a second away from squashing her into the dust she so childishly kicked up.

A hand caught her and ripped her out of the way. Jill nudged Natalie's side on accident as she made sure the girl was clear of harm before climbing the boulder daringly, pointing her finger at the giant. Cleo glared at the boulder as if insulted it would come so near her.

"We are on the orders of Aslan himself. You would do well to let us pass," Jill warned.

"Oh god," Eustace groaned as the giant stooped to gather another rock. He ran forward, pulling Jill's loose jeans so hard her legs went out from under her and she slid on her butt to the ground He caught her under the arms, hauling her to the side as another rock rained down.

"These are not friendly giants," Mag called.

"No shit?" Natalie replied. "I thought bashing heads in was how giants greeted guests."

"Everyone run!" Mag snapped, shoving her forward into Jessie. Natalie was doing a wonderful job of pissing off anyone who tried to speak to her today. The older woman caught her hand, pulling her into a full sprint. Natalie pounded her short legs to keep up with Jessie's long strides. More giants had joined their leader and were now throwing rocks as well. Puddleglum hilariously outdistanced them all with his lithe gallops. Eustace and Jill were a short distance behind the two women and Mag held up the rear, miraculously keeping up despite his blindness. Maybe it was just a ploy so people would feel bad for the beggar. That was plausible, Natalie thought. All dashed under a jutting out cliff that provided cover.

"This is outrageous. Outrageous! In my marsh we would have them all on trial promptly," Puddleglum was saying.

Jill shushed him and pressed her hands against the back of the small opening. Jessie was at her side, hazel eyes darting about for any escape. Natalie glanced to the front seeing Eustace and Mag blocking off any stray rocks from entering.

"Stop being a hero!" Natalie grabbed Eustace's collar and pulled him away from the edge. This way he was entirely pressed to the length of her body. He opened his mouth to say something. "Shut up," Natalie hissed.

A rock bounced off Mag's chest, but he seemed not to notice. In fact, he stepped out of the cover and Natalie rolled her eyes, giving him up for giant bait. She felt something slimy and wet on the wall seeping through the sleeve of her dress and considered asking Eustace to switch positions with her. Small sharp stones on the wall dug into her back. She tried to get her mind off the discomfort and cramped situation. At least the body heat was keeping them warm in the quickly cooling days. There was a particular warmth on her hips. She glanced down, discovering it was due to Eustace's hands. Doing so, his lips brushed her forehead. Soft and gentle and not imposing at all.

Her eyes snapped up to meet his pale blue ones. They always reminded her of a crystal Narnian sea, perhaps because that was where she met him. But he was not that bratty, entitled little boy anymore. He'd grown up into a man capable of as much compassion as banter. Capable of making her pulse quicken just so.

"Damn," Natalie whispered only a breath away from his collar bones.

"Damn," Eustace agreed.

"Get out here," Mag's clipped voice severed the moment effectively.

Jill was first to escape with Jessie right behind her. Eustace dropped his hands as he stepped away. "I was going to apologize. If I have made you uncomfortable, I am truly sorry." He was earnest in this moment and Natalie shifted on her feet, unsure what to make of anything anymore.

"Servants of Aslan," a female voice boomed.

Natalie darted out wondering if the alto female voice was responsible for the giant's cease fire. A woman dressed in varying shades of green stood perched on the roof of the overhang they'd taken shelter under. The tips of her curled shoes hung over the edge, but her weight settled regally onto her heels allowing her to stretch up to her full height which seemed to match even Eustace's. She offered a kind smile and Natalie instantly knew why the giants had fled.

Who could stand against such sincerity?

"My dear sweet weary travelers," Puddleglum melted instantly as the addictively silk words wound through the group like a sloth snake. "Aslan sent me to intercept you and give you beds for the night. I never dreamed the giants would dare cross the boarders into my land. You must forgive me or I would have come at once to your aid."

"Of course. We are indebeted," Mag spoke.

"Who are you?" Jill asked suspiciously. She had narrowed eyes and was clearly unswayed by the woman's words.

"Oh my beautiful girl, please forgive my manners. It has been so long since I've dealt with sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. I am the Lady of GreenKirtle. I am charged by Aslan to oversee the lands north of any of his kingdoms. You all look simply famished. Come. The fauns are hosting an Autumn Festival as celebration of the harvest."

"That sounds nice," Jessie admitted, looking to Mag, the unspoken though unanimously appointed leader.

Mag looked back at the blonde woman and Natalie felt more certain than ever that he was not truly blind.

"How do we know your word is true?" Jill crossed her arms skeptically.

"I think we'd be dead by now if it wasn't," Natalie piped up. "She could've easily let those giants squish us into road kill."

Jill looked ready to argue again when Eustace put a hand on her shoulder. "She's right, Jill."

"Look at you two agreeing," Mag mumbled before swinging his walking stick up to the Green Lady. "We thank you for your hospitality."

The Green Lady jumped to the ground, waist length brown curls bobbing dramatically at the feat. All fell into step behind her. Cleo pulled harshly against the reigns and caused Jill to bring up the caboose, though Natalie doubted she minded being so far away from the strange woman.

The mountains on either side fanned out to create a vast bowl of a valley. In the center sat a cut little village made up of humble straw, stick, and brick houses alike. Natalie hoped no wolves lived up here and wanted to test their luck by asking if any pigs would let them in. Upon entering the front gate, sounds of a party could be heard. Laughing and music and the pounding of happy dancing feet drew an eager smile to Natalie's rosy cheeks.

The Green Lady passed Cleo to a stable hand, pointed out two vacant wooden houses, and instructed the boys to take the one on the left. Natalie zipped into the right one and set her saddle bag onto the middle cot. The two other girls filed in: Jessie looking shyly out of place and Jill appearing to relax just slightly. The fact that a flock of assassins hadn't met them at the gate might have helped ease her worst fears.

Natalie danced over to the window, pressing her nose to the glass to catch sight of the excitement.

"I will have dinner brought to you. No need to rush out to the festivities tonight. It will last for a good few days I suspect," the Green Lady let herself into the one bedroom house. "You lot just get your rest. You'll need it to finish your quest."

"Thank you," Jessie replied. "You are very kind. We have nothing to offer you in return. If there's anything you need us to do around town, I'm sure we'd all be more than willing to offer our services."

"No no, sweet Lady of the clouds," the Green Lady patted Jessie's hand affectionately and the woman relaxed into the feeling of love and acceptance. "You are a guest and we do not put our guests to work. You are already doing Aslan's will. I shan't ask any more of you."

"Just our unwavering trust, right?" Jill snipped.

"Waver all you want. I except Bambi will come out of hiding once we get some Narnian beverages into you tomorrow." Natalie winked playfully.

The Green Lady let out a melodic laugh and excused herself.

Jill tugged off her Oxford jacket, revealing a simple black tank top. She brushed dust off the hem of her jeans and sat on her cot. Jessie adjusted her own nursing attire and bent down to pry off once white shoes. She massaged her sore feet and watched as Natalie flounced around to every corner of the room, inspecting their temporary home. The roof was low and she wondered how the boys were coping with that. The length was just wide enough to house their three cots side by side and the width left just enough space for a single person to walk the aisle between the makeshift beds and the door.

"Do you think the sugarplum fairy will get us some new clothes if we ask?" Natalie inquired, noticing the state of her own attire.

"She is really sweet," Jessie commented. "I don't see why not."

"We can't stay for the festival. We've got to find the signs that will lead us to Prince Rilian," Jill shook her mess of choppy brown hair.

"Have you seen any signs lately?" Jessie asked reasonably.

"Well, no…"

"They could be here for all we know," Natalie chirped. She was very much like a bird, needing to fly and explore. Being tied down by the monotony of walking took its toll on her. The prospect of new experiences at this Autumn Fest was too tempting to pass by.

"Maybe we could help you look if you just told us what they were," Jessie suggested.

Jill was about to give her speech again—the one about how this was her responsibility and how Aslan entrusted her—when a knock came from the door. The sound of metal rapping sharply against wood sent Natalie peering through the peephole. She jumped to hold herself eye level, letting her toes dangle off the ground.

A pair of pale blue eyes winked at her. "Password," Natalie demanded.

"We have food," Eustace replied.

Natalie whooped as the door was nudged open, her still clinging to it. Great plates of colorful salads were brought in and sat in the limited spare space of the room. Puddleglum had remained in the room claiming he needed a head start on his beauty sleep. Mag took up the walkway with his long legs sprawled out. Natalie shared Jessie's bed and picked off her plate when she finished her own.

For a while no one talked. Mouths were munching and bellies were bulging.

"Since Natalie already made the Nutcracker reference, can I bring up Hansel and Gretel?" Jessie asked leaning back on her arms. The room barked with laughter and a small proud smile touched her timid lips.

"In that case, Nate is going first." Eustace nodded from his lounging position on her bed towards the two licked clean plates stacked on the dark haired girl's lap.

"I wouldn't bet on it. You're the biggest," Natalie fired back.

"Told you to come to the campus gym with me," Jill called. She rolled onto her side, propping her head up in her hand. "Puberty may have hit him, but he's still got some baby pudge around his stomach," she informed the others.

"Mate, I think she just called you fat," Mag spoke while cleaning his teeth out with his fork.

"A little body fat is perfectly healthy," Jessie input.

"Ha!" Eustace declared, sitting up. "The trained nurse is on my side. I win."

"But if it came down to it, the Green Lady would definitely eat you first."

Eustace pouted in betrayal at Jessie making her giggle. The drama from that morning was long forgotten as all fell into easy banter and eventually bid each other goodnight. Natalie fell asleep dreaming about fairytales from her home.


	9. Chapter 9

**I split this chapter up because it was really long. But important things happen here!**

 **(Natalie)**

"Am I going to fit through that door?"Jill asked dully, holding up the ends of her short poufy dress to judge how wide it was compared to the slim doorframe. Her cropped brown hair was pinned out of her face revealing those sage green eyes. She kept glancing to the new sets of traveling clothes as if she'd rather wear them to the festival. She kicked her old sneakers against the dirt floor and buried her hands into the numerous folds of her light pink skirt.

"That might be a problem to consider after when we've all consumed more than our stomachs were meant to hold," Jessie commented.

Natalie twirled about on her bed, enjoying how the velvet layers of her knee length dress fell away from each other. The bronze color made her tan skin glow in the setting light from the sun. She jumped to the ground hearing a knock on their door. Jessie beat her there, with her curvy hips accentuated by the fitted navy material across her body.

"Password," Jessie requested making Natalie grin in pride.

"You're being ridiculous," Mag deadpanned.

"You know, we don't actually have a password, but if we did that would definitely not be it," Jessie told him

"You're no fun," Natalie declared, throwing back the door to glare at him.

Mag shrugged and started off to the feast on his own, waving his walking stick at any who got in his path.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Jessie sighed, hurrying to catch up.

Puddleglum valiantly offered his arm to Jill who blanched before precariously perching her hand against the crook of his elbow. It required some twisting to get Jill's wide skirts through the door. Natalie raised her eyebrows at Eustace as they were left alone. "I'm not holding your hand," she told him before skipping off down the narrow streets.

Tall green and silver banners rose up depicting a flowered serpent as she neared the sounds of party life. Fauns played fanatically on split flutes and square guitars. One sat in the center of a circle of drums, spinning dramatically to keep up the fast paced beat. Three long tables of brightly colored food boxed in the festival to the end of the street. Natalie went spotted Jill and Puddleglum at the drink section and saw Jessie and Mag shuffling along the food tables wearing identical dubious expressions. For a feast, everything looked too intricate to dream of eating.

With a start of surprise, Natalie felt a nymph catch her waist and pull her into the middle of the throng of dancing bodies. The blue skinned nymph tossed her hair made of dozens of different flower stems and grinned alluringly down at Natalie who found her rhythm in the bizarre melody. A badger holding a drink tray passed and the nymph snatched two up. Natalie sniffed the concoction, deciding strawberry margarita would be a loose term to describe it.

In truth, she could not taste any ale, but in Narnia that meant nothing. She happily accepted another as the music slowed considerably. She swayed watching her nymph friend get swept up by a fairly hairy faun into a staggered waltz.

"Do you remember the last time we dance?" A voice came from behind her.

Natalie turned, smelling traces of fruity beverage on Eustace's breath. Without asking he placed one hand on the dip of her waist and caught the other so that they begun to rock to the song. Natalie slipped her hand out of his, looping it behind his neck to inch closer.

"Told you I wasn't holding your hand," she murmured.

For once he didn't have a retort. Instead, he wrapped both arms around her lower back and rested his nose against her forehead. Natalie released a shaky breath, wondering if it was his touch that made her brain feel so slow or delayed effects of alcohol. Her fingers curled into the short hair at the base of his neck sending trills of exhilaration racing down her arm to resonate in her chest. His heart pattered against her shoulder, betraying his own emotions.

The song shifted into an upbeat one, but they didn't separate. Instead, his grip tightened and they stopped moving altogether.

"Why do you insist on fighting me?" Eustace whispered, though with the shouts and other noises there was no chance of being overheard.

"Why do you insist on provoking me?" Natalie fired back.

He smiled and she found herself questioning whether it had always been so beautiful. It crinkled his eyes till they were shut and stretched his pink lips up almost as if in invitation. She leaned in and Eustace snatched her upper arms desperate to stop the deed.

"I won't kiss you like this," he stated.

His eyes were too clear, too aware of the situation. That soberness leaked into Natalie and she stepped back, earning a reprimand when she tripped a dancing woman.

"Just when I don't want you to," she snapped.

He raked a hand down his face, and pulled at the low neckline of his red tunic allowing little blonde hairs to peak out. "Nate, please. I don't feel like arguing tonight."

"You think I'm wasted? Is that it? You think I couldn't possibly wish to kiss you if I was in my right mind?" Natalie put her hands on her hips. The swirl of bodies was parted around her and Eustace, leaving them in their own little world.

"You yelled at me then didn't speak to me for half a day the last time I tried to get close to you," Eustace responded calmly. It made Natalie's blood simmer that he was so composed.

"Because you didn't ask! Because I'd like to have some say in how my relationships play out!"

"Ok!" Eustace snapped, finally tipping over his low patience level. "So you want me to kiss you now?" His blue eyes were blazing in the setting sun like a fire about to devour all kindling in sight.

"Yes!"

Natalie barely got the word past her lips when he did just as she desired. His mouth pressed hers. Only, it was so much more than a simple kiss. She was unsure how long they'd been building up to this, but all the bickering and teasing finally pushed them over the cliff into this endless moment of freefall. Her hands ran down the arch of his back, fisting into his thin shirt to feel the warmth of his skin pulsating through. He cupped the back of her neck, angling her lips against his so he could deepen the kiss.

She knew she was the kindling then, ignited with only the simplest of his touches. Just as she was wondering if anything was capable of every parting them, a loud whoop went up from the drink table.

A voice rang out over the partiers, and Eustace pulled away, face paling. "Shit, Jill."

The girl stood on top of the drink table, belting Frank Sinatra's _The Way You Look Tonight._ Her skirt was hiked up in her hands, revealing a great portion of her lithe legs. Her one-shoulder top had fallen halfway down her arm as she sang and danced seductively between the bartender and Natalie's nymph friend. Her alter ego, Bambi was making an appearance.

"I need to get her before she gets into trouble," Eustace sighed.

He started to leave, then caught himself. "We're going to talk about this later," he said.

"Of course," Natalie muttered, fearing what that would entail. Was she expected to confess a secret undying love for him?

He kissed her chastely before beginning to weave through the crowd towards where Jill tipped dangerously towards the edge of the table. Her lips weren't burning and there were no fireworks shooting in the sky, but there was a contented ease in her stomach and the wisps of a smile on her cheeks.

As Eustace coaxed his friend off from her perch, Natalie came across Mag sitting along.

"Scare Jessie away?" she inquired.

"She's not one for big parties. She retried a little while ago."

Natalie hummed and took her vacated seat, propping her legs up on the table in an unladylike fashion. "So why are you lying to everyone, Mag?"

"Why were you making out with Eustace?That's disgusting," Mag countered.

"No one asked you to kiss him. Also, I hope you know that Jessie is probably the only one who believes you're blind and that's because she's too good of a person to just outright assume someone is a fraud."

"Did Puddleglum talk to you?" Mag leaned forward guardedly.

"I try my best to avoid him. He brings down the mood. And why? Does he know your deep dark secrets?"

"One of them," Mag murmured.

"Are you enjoying yourselves my lovelies?" The voice of the Green Lady startled Natalie so much she tipped sideways out of her chair. Mag reached out unconsciously with a steadying hand to help her up.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," he replied.

The Green Lady was dressed in the colors her banner bore and her curly brown hair was braided so that it wrapped around her right arm.

"If your madam won't mind, I would very much like you to accompany me around the town," she continued.

"I'm not his madam," Natalie said quickly.

"Oh splendid. I saw you exchanging pleasantries with the fair haired one. I had hoped Sir Mag might do me this honor."

Mag cast a glance back towards the stick houses before offering his arm. The Green Lady swooned slightly and whisked him away. Natalie looked to where Jill had entertained the masses finding both her and Eustace missing. Waving down a badger, she helped herself to two more drinks. If she had to face Eustace again tonight, she was not doing it sober.

She had known this boy before his voice changed. They hadn't seen each other for at least seven years. And she was pretty sure she just made out with him. She was absolutely sure that whatever just happened, she had loved every moment of it.

 **Well that was exciting, hu?**


	10. Chapter 10

**(Jessie)**

Birds sang of the start of another glorious day with exuberance in their voices and skips in their perches outside the little stick window. Jessie rolled over on her cot to allow the streaks of the sunrise to rest against her cheeks and chase away the chill evening brought. Her toes peaked out beneath the end of the scratchy wool blanket. Clearly it was meant for dwarves or fauns, not a lanky human of her height. She could only imagine how the boys must curl up to fit beneath theirs.

With a groan slipping past her lips, she coaxed her travel weary body into a sitting position. She rubbed the heel of her palm against her eyes and stood to adjust her tan capris so that they fit into her new boots sent by the Green Lady. She saw Natalie fully dressed with her greasy black curls woven into some semblance of a bun on top of her head. They were all in desperate need of baths. The young girl wrung her hands, going over the sparse contents of her saddle bag with lip biting anxiety evident on her features.

Jessie stooped to arrange the sheets and wrinkled blankets on her cot, folding the corners under like she'd been taught in nursing school. She moved on wordlessly to Natalie's abandoned mess of a bed, humming an old Irish song from her hometown under her breath.

"Quiet please," Jill moaned, rolling under her pillow.

Apparently, she did not find the morning as beautiful as Jessie did. From the amount of alcohol she consumed last night, Jessie was surprised she'd kept the contents of her stomach down as long as she had. Jessie wished she had some medicine to offer the hungover girl, but settled for gently smoothing down her friend's hair and moving to sit across from Natalie on the narrow space left between the cots and the door.

"Are you alright?" Jessie whispered.

"I'm always alright. Jill's the one who was shitfaced," Natalie responded quickly. Her hands clenched over a jug of water as her blue eyes flickered to the door and her thoughts were unwillingly dragged along.

Jessie was preparing herself to use her patient questioning technique to squeeze answers out of the girl when Natalie shook her head and threw the water back into her bag.

"You loved the High King, right? Back when you first came to Narnia?" Natalie asked a little too loudly. Jill pelted her pillow at her chest. Natalie offered no reaction aside from continued to gaze expectantly up at her elder.

Jessie pursed her lips, wanting nothing more than to claim hangover like Jill and crawl back under the tempting covers. But Natalie's gaze burned into hers, craving answers for reasons Jessie could give a highly educated guess at.

"I did, yes. Why do you ask?"

"How can you tell the difference between just wanting to kiss or sleep with someone and actually having feelings for them? How can you know you'll fall in love with them?"

Jessie smiled kindly and reached out to still the anxious flutter of Natalie's hands with her own.

"I mean, sure I've been with guys and kissed them and it meant nothing. But I kissed Eustace last night and I'm pretty sure it meant something to him, but what if I didn't do it for the same reasons? How can I tell him that? What if…"

"I was terrified the first time I kissed Peter," Jessie cut off the onslaught of words. "He was so handsome and a King at that and I never imagined he could return my feelings. But I was talking with Susan and Lucy one night and they told me what I'm about to tell you."

Natalie shifted forward as if afraid she might miss the life altering advice.

"You can't know anything. You can't know how he feels unless you ask and you can't know how you feel unless you look. I know you're scared to look, Natalie, and that's ok. You don't have to have every detail worked out perfectly. That's not love. They say love is blind and I think that's more about how people go into it. You can walk in confused and worried and without a single clue, but if you're meant to be with Eustace, you will."

"You just said more in one go than I've heard you say this entire trip." Natalie blurted. Then softer she added, "You must have really loved him."

"I did yes. But that was many years ago." She clapped her hands and Jill let out an indiscernible curse word.

The tolling of bells halted all other morning noises. Jill sat up, leveling a glare at the unseen bell tower that would wither any weaker objects. Jessie made a mental note never to give any reason to earn that gaze.

"What is that?" Natalie pondered, hands tapping against her cheeks.

"How about you help Jill get moving and I'll go find out what I can," Jessie offered.

"If you see Eustace, can you not mention what I told you?"

"Of course not. Patient, nurse confidentiality." Jessie winked as she ducked out the low door frame.

Puddleglum wrenched back the door to the boys' hut after a single knock with his permanent scowl charmingly etched onto his sleepy brow.

"Oh good, you're up. Go tell that green witch to shut her perky bells up."

"I'll relay the message. Can you make sure Eustace and Mag are ready to go when I get back?"

"Mag isn't here. He never came back last night. He probably bailed on us."

Jessie felt an anchor slam against the pit of her stomach. No, that wasn't right. Mag might be overbearing and authoritative, but he was dedicated to his mission.

Natalie tapped Jessie' strained shoulders, having overheard. "He was with the Green Lady last I saw. He was walking around with her. He probably just got caught up in the politics." She shrugged haphazardly. Eustace mumbled something and she grinned bashfully before dashing to flounce on his waking form.

After assuring the others that she would be right back, Jessie began striding towards the tolling bells. She passed a staggering nymph who waved seductively and smelled entirely too much like the fruity liquor from the previous evening. A steeple rose before Jessie. She smoothed down her maroon shirt and retucked it into her pants. A glance in one of the stained glass windows on the front of the stone building told her that the blonde waves of hair were beyond saving.

Her hand rose to knock on the thick front doors when she recognized a voice echoing from the grass fields to the back. The voice of the Lady of Greenkirtle lacked the dripping honey it usually possessed; all that remained was raw, delirious vigor. Jessie rounded the steeple, hands tracing along the cool stones until a sight made her each one of her toes stub against her boots with a jarring halt.

Mag was strapped down with ropes that might normally be used to restrain a giant a few times his size. The fight he put up must have been admirable still, though he didn't appear to be able to put any weight on his left leg now. His shouts were drowned out by the ever singing bells. The Green Lady had her hand on the back of his head, twisting dirty blonde locks between her gnarled fingers.

A deep, disorienting familiarity jerked Jessie's feet forward. It caused her hand to curl around the blade hidden in the back of her trousers. She had to save this man; she didn't know why, but that did not affect her decision.

The Green Lady had a wand raised above Mag's head. What had Puddleglum called her: a witch? Instinct took over as Jessie release the blade in a fatal spin of tip over hilt. It embedded itself into the Green Witch's palm, making the wand fall the ground with a low thud. Jessie raced to Mag before she could recover, undid the knots holding him down, and jerked him away. She glimpsed flash of clear blue from his eyes. The color of the sky. She _knew_ those eyes.

"My Lady!" Jessie tried for power, but her voice shook too much to intimidate anyone.

"You Earth swine!" she shrilled, wrenching the dagger free and pointing it towards Jill. Blood dripped down, marring the autumn yellow grass.

Fauns and Nymphs emerged from the woods armed with tree branches and poisonous flowers and various other weapons. Once friendly creatures now faced them with utter contempt woven into their expressions. Jessie was just contemplating how she would get her blade back when her own make shift army appeared from around the corner looking about as intimidating as infants playing with swords. Natalie and Eustace held long swords and only the former knew enough to keep the tip up. Jill clutched daggers in either of her hands, but standing appeared to be taking the entirety of her focus right now. Puddleglum held nothing and remained behind the others due to that fact.

Mag was pulling her, Jessie realized dully. He dragged her shocked and frozen form to stand beside their friends.

"Let us leave peacefully and no harm will come to you," Eustace called.

"Aslan always did like arming children with no experience," The Green Lady sneered and then added, "Go," with so wicked a sneer Jessie suddenly wanted to take her chances with the forest warriors.

But Mag was pulling her once again, calloused hand gripping her own sharply as they backed away. Jessie glanced over, seeing his hood pulled low over his head and his blind rag returned so that the others would not recognize him.

 _Peter._

She wanted to wrench away and hide from those penetrating blue eyes and she wanted to scream at him till the years turned to nothing. Questions and accusations flew at her from around every corner they passed on the retreat from the town, so she let his hand stay, afraid that if he let go she would crumple and become useless.

"Under me!" Jill screamed before muttering a quiet, "Shit," when her own voice reached her ears. She was staring with rapt attention at a large overhang on the cliff wall.

"Can't you see it?" She whipped around, searching each face until she landed on Eustace. "Aslan ordered me to follow the instructions as the third clue, this says 'under me.' We have to obey. God I probably missed it the first time because I was too busy worrying about being betrayed by the Green Lady."

Eustace shook his head slowly until Natalie stepped forward with Jill. "Aslan trusts Jill. So do I."

Mag glanced back, muscles taunt in case the army decided to pursue them.

 _Mag._

Maybe if Jessie refused to call him anything else, if he kept that ridiculous disguise up, then she wouldn't have to face anything.

"Let's go," Mag insisted.

Puddleglum let out a stream of complaints, but was the first one to crawl into the slight space beneath the overhang. Jill followed, whimpering at the too precise movements. Eustace, hesitated, face paling by the second.

"Willing to face an evil witch, but not tight spaces?" Natalie teased, though true concern rang in her eyes. She took his hand, fingers lacing loosely with his larger ones. The hold was so different than the one Mag still kept. It was full of so many silently encouragements Jessie had to avert her eyes. This was private; this was Natalie giving in to the chance Eustace's affections offered: love. Together they crawled into the black space.

"Come on," Mag grumbled, strapping his walking stick into his belt as he started forward. Jessie saw the sword he carried clearly now. With the lion carved into the hilt and the royal gold sheath. Peter's old sword. He was not a blind beggar or a simple servant of Aslan or an insane Knight. He was Peter Pevensie, High King of Narnia and he let go of her hand.

"Mag!" Jessie called because that was all she could think to say. Pain ricocheted across Mag's dirty face, but he turned anyway, one hand resting against the slight opening that would lead them to where Aslan wanted.

"Jess," he let the fake accent drop for that moment and it tore viciously at her heart. She missed him. She hated him. She was numb despite everything.

She had saved him before she even knew who he was. She had grown attached regardless of all the crazy thing he did. Had she unconsciously known? Had…?

"We need to go." Mag drew her out of her thoughts. He was one sighted as ever. He didn't care that her carefully constructed world was being demolished. And he disappeared before Jessie could even nod.

She eased herself into the opening, back scraping against the blunt stone above, stomach pressed in by the rocks below. Darkness blotted out all light, and a silence followed that was so deep her ears rang in resistance. She didn't feel the drop off before she was in free fall. She could've called for Aslan or her friends. She could've even prayed that Mag would catch her at the bottom. But she wished for nothing in the suspended state. She wished for nothing, but all of this to fade away and her to be returned to her hospital with no memory at all of ever returning to Narnia.


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, it's been a good bit but hello again! I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday break. I've finally had time to sit down and actually write something that I didn't hate. Here's hoping you guys enjoy this!**

 **(Darius)**

Darius liked the night. It was quiet and the people who appeared to be employed specifically to hound him with questions, sympathy, or therapy were sound asleep. He'd long since worn out both him and his sparring partner, Theon. Darius' gangly arms still stung from the blindly executed blows. He was good, he knew that. Rilian would never have told him as much if it were not the truth. But that skill seemed to have vanished right along with his brother. Lately, he was lucky if the flat of Theon's dull practice sword didn't crash against his ribs.

Tonight, he probed a wine colored bruise on his thigh and a long, swollen cut on the inside of his cheek. His injuries were his own fault for being so distracted and probably karma for breaking Theon's nose. He stretched out his sore legs, boots planting against the stall wall parallel to him. Normally, Cleo would occupy this stall and Rilian would spend half the night brushing her mane until it was as smooth as a nymph's bottom.

Often, Rilian would pretend he was already King here. Darius would think up complex and mind twisting problems for him to solve just like their father, Caspian, dealt with every day. Sometimes Rilian was too tired to do more than shrug. Sometimes they talked until the sun warned that their mother would soon be searching their rooms to prepare them for a new day.

"A royal hound gets loose into one of the villages. He eats a simple farmer's livestock of chickens. The farmer won't take money for compensation, but insists the dog be killed as justice," Darius spoke out loud. Though his brother was not around to hear, it instilled a calming sense of normalcy for him to do it.

Lazy flies, with their wings working half-speed in the cold, buzzed about the stable. Wooden beams as wide as Darius' torso held the walls and roof in place. Vines stretching from his mother's garden snuck in to weave along the railing of each pin. Little amber winter flowers bloomed in the cloudy starlight. Fresh hay smelling more of bowel movements than something edible for animals lounged across the stone floor.

He wondered if Rilian was thinking of the stable right now, wherever he was. Was he wishing he could be talking to his brother as well? Or was he in too much pain to think much of anything? Would his father's mysterious friends and supposed "chosen" of Aslan reach him in time to prevent his life from leaving him?

Why were strangers being allowed to save the heir to the throne?

Darius was saddling his sand colored horse, Tut, before he even knew he'd made a formal decision. Tut turned his eyes on his master, one green and one black, playful nature making him warily stamp his feet at Darius' rigid preparations.

"Don't you miss Ril?" Darius asked as he buckled the worn leather saddle into place. Tut snorted and nudged the one of the Queen's potted flowers. "They'll be worried, sure, but someone competent has to do this. We can't trust foreigners to fulfill the job of a Prince."

He placed his foot into a stirrup and swung to reach its twin. Gathering the reigns, he swept up his heels in a firm kick. Out through the night they tore. Cool wisps of wind gnawed through his too thin sleep attire. Don't knights usually wear armor? Darius was too determined; he would not turn back now.

Normally, guards watched the gates even through the darkest of nights. Tonight, there was a baffling lack of people. He did not have to convince anyone to let him out of the castle. Instead, Tut nudged the gate open with the crown of his head and they galloped on.

Darius leaned forward in the saddle to keep his body from becoming too relaxed in any one position. Falling asleep out here would do Rilian little good. A growl from his stomach reminded him of the fact that he'd trained through dinner.

Upon approaching a fork in the road, Darius knit his fingers into the horse's mane in consideration. He had not the first clue which direction to go towards. He slid to the ground, kicking up a patch of dust as his feet planted firmly. Approaching one direction, so as to inspect each possibility, Darius rubbed the thin trail of stubble under his chin. He might only be 17, but soon he would have a beard like his father and Rilian.

With little to see on the right except for some distant glimpses of mountaintops, he paced to the left road. This would lead him to the nearest village. That much he knew. Geographically, it was the safest bet. However, if Rilian was some place safe, Darius could not help thinking he would have found his way home by now.

He was just starting back to Tut when a flash of sunlight in the dark brought him up short. It was not the sun, he discovered, but a great lion whose coat seemed to produce its own light. He remembered the stories his parents told him about meeting Aslan. How they were afraid and in awe at the same time. Instead, all Darius felt was rage. The emotion ravaged him relentlessly until a scream escaped his clenched teeth.

Oh, he was angry at Aslan. This was the lion that was meant to protect his people. He was meant to watch over the rulers he elected. Instead, he let Rilian be taken or worse…

Before he knew it, tears streamed down his cheeks, freezing up as the cold slowly found its way through the flaming anger.

"Do you not trust my plans, Darius?" the lion spoke.

The melodic sound only served to scrape at the gaping hole in the young boy's chest. "Save him," Darius demanded. His voice cracked and he was a child again. He was a kid playing dress up his Caspian's armor. He was no knight meant to save the day.

"It is not my place to interfere."

"And what is my place? I am no use here. I am not one of your elite chosen."

"Aren't you?" Aslan asked reasonably.

Darius blinked hard and allowed his body to sway so that he leaned against Tut. "No mind games. Please just…just tell me what to do."

For a minute, he believed that the mysterious creature might obey his wishes. Then the corner of the cat's lips quirked up and Darius thought of testing just how "all-powerful" he really was. "In the days to come you must be more than strong. You will be the backbone of your family. Your mother will need you more than ever."

"Rilian is who she needs. Just bring him back and everything will be fine!" Darius was letting his anger get the best of him, but he no longer cared. This was not someone who would help him, but rather someone who wanted to put more riddles into his mind.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, my son."

The fury was quickly being replaced by a sleepiness he could not fight. He swayed on his feet and blinked hard. When his eyes opened again, he was no longer at the forked road, but back in the stable.

"Son," the calling voice repeated.

Darius looked up to see Caspian leaning against the stall door with an amused glimmer in his aged eyes. The boy was too startled to resist when his father pulled him to his feet.

"Let's get you inside before your mother finds out you've been tempting pneumonia. She'll have the servant's heads, then mine, then yours." Caspian ruffled Darius' long reddish/brown hair and tucked him under his arm.

He was no closer to understanding what Aslan meant. He was home, though. And at least now he knew that was where he belonged.


	12. Chapter 12

**(Natalie)**

At first, everything was forgotten. She'd never gone back to Narnia. She was now embarrassingly late to graduation. And now her car was probably totaled. Natalie couldn't shake the ringing from her ears. The deafening impact of one car against her own. She felt dizzy and breathless and could not quite manage to coax her eyes open in order to escape the darkness.

She mentally reached out to her fingers, fear knotting up into a sailor's knot when they didn't respond. Slowly the free fall came back to her. Had her faith in Jill gotten her killed?

"Come on, Nate. This isn't funny anymore. Wake up."

Natalie's eyes flew open as familiar fingers cupped her face. She peered up into the faded blue colors surrounding Eustace's pupils. "Hey loser," she rasped.

"Thank Aslan. Next time don't take your sweet time breathing." Eustace flung his arms about her neck, pulling the woman so harshly against him, the breath he was so concerned over was cut off.

"See? She's fine. Let's get moving," Mag's cheery voice drew Natalie's attention away from the much needed embrace.

"Let her recover. The rest of us had time," Jill argued. She stepped forward to assess Natalie silently.

It was then that Natalie finally diverted her gaze from her friends and took in the room they now occupied. It was small but meticulously organized. There were few decorations and a set of men's scrubs sat folded on top of the kitchen table. From outside the flat's window, she could identify the sounds of blaring car horns in stopped traffic.

"London. Our time," Eustace stated. Jill nodded along.

"Peter's flat," Jessie added. Her voice was tight and she looked at nothing but the tips of her animal skin boots.

A crash came from the bedroom and Puddleglum scurried out with a broken picture clutched guiltily in his hands. "Sorry, just, these are the Kings and Queens of old. How are their likenesses captured so perfectly?"

Mag snatched the photo away and went to dispose of the shattered glass in the garbage under a sink. "It would do you well not to touch things that do not belong to you," he snapped.

"Ok," Jill clapped her hands then winced at her own loud sounds. Must be one hell of a hangover. "Aslan wanted us to find Peter, I think. He's not here, so let's try where he works, or one of his siblings maybe."

"Great idea. Let's split up, then." Everyone turned to gape at Mag's sudden agreeableness. The blind man just shrugged and swung his cane about haphazardly. "I'll take the Marshwiggle with me and the Lady Jill since she is familiar with this land. We shall scour his place of employment."

Jessie opened her mouth and raised her head finally, but the moment her eyes connected with Mag's form she let out a squeak and drew back into herself. There was a tension between the two Natalie just couldn't place.

"Take them on the tube, Jill. They won't stick out in underground London," Eustace instructed.

The brunette girl nodded and led her group out the door hurriedly. Jessie sagged onto the couch the moment the door closed behind them.

"Wanna talk?" Eustace asked, helping himself to the contents of Peter's closet. He exchanged his fur coat for a more posh pea jacket. He tossed Natalie a scarf to help with her own appearance. With a glance in the mirror, Natalie scrunched up her nose and considered using the fabric to hide her entire face.

"Think his siblings will let me steal a shower?" Natalie inquired.

"No," Jessie finally responded to Eustace's earlier question.

"Ok, then. Lucy's the closest, so we can check with her first," Eustace said.

Natalie skipped right to the door, now buzzing with excitement. The trauma from before was now nothing but a bad dream. She would get to see her old friend. She'd done her best to block out the longing, but now that they were so close, it hurt more than ever.

"Right. Right." Jessie dragged herself into an upright position and rubbed at her face. "Give me about five minutes so I can get this dirt out from places I don't want to mention." She let herself into the bathroom and a click from the lock followed shortly after.

Natalie stood on her tiptoes to peer out the peephole. A woman with voluminous blonde hair strutted past with a Pomeranian clutched in her talon-like fingernails. A worker dressed in a hotdog suit chased after a mugger with the sign he was supposed to be spinning. London became more fascinating by the second.

"Erm…" Eustace cleared his throat. Natalie jumped around, back flat to the doorframe.

"H…hello," she stammered, unsure what else to say. They were painfully alone. "This probably counts as later, doesn't it?"

He lowered his head in a nod.

"So…um, that happened." Natalie laughed awkwardly and shifted around him so that she was no longer trapped between his intimidating frame and the door.

"Natalie I have feelings for you. They were there on the Dawn Treader, not so much for the years apart, but seeing you again, being with you, I…"

"Why'd you call me Natalie?" she interrupted.

He frowned, searching her face to see if she was making a joke or completely serious. "Because it's your name," he replied.

"But you never call me that."

"Hell, we never kiss either, but that seems to have happened too. Can you please listen to what I'm saying? Natalie I care about you as so much more than a friend. And I want—"

"Let's get this done," Jessie wandered out of the bathroom reluctantly. Her presence cut off the topic abruptly.

Eustace stared sadly down at Natalie before nodding in resignation.

The streets of London were sparingly populated on this below freezing fall afternoon. School children raced past in their michelin jackets in excitement to get home. A couple huddled together under a windbreaker in an attempt to preserve heat. Cars with fogged windshields skidded past, reluctant to yield the right of way to pedestrians.

"I knew England was cold, but damn," Natalie commented, tucking her hands within the folds of her scarf.

Jessie shrugged and eyed an oncoming minivan to see if she could beat it across the crosswalk. Eustace offered his arm out to the petite girl trailing behind him. She froze and muttered some excuse about keeping up with Jessie and ducked out of his reach. Natalie kept her head down against the wind. She kept her head down so she wouldn't have to look at Eustace. Everything felt too real here. This was not a fantasy world anymore. Things that happened here mattered. She remembered holding his hand right before the jump. She'd been terrified and searching for some form of stability. Eustace had been that rock she instantly sought out.

She hated relying on him, on anyone other than herself really.

Only when she plowed into the back of Jessie did Natalie snap back to the present.

"What do we tell them?" Natalie found herself muttering.

"How about the truth?" Jessie clipped as her knuckles rasped against the sturdy oak door. "Seems to be in short supply these days."

The door pulled back after a few short moments. A man with black hair brushing the tops of his ears answered the door. He peered down at them through reflective aviators, tucking his stubble covered chin into a high collar against the chill pressing down on them all. Breath warmed from heaters within puffed up the air between them.

Natalie was prepared to offer a long explanation of why she needed to speak with the Pevensies to this clearly oblivious adult when the most unexpected words fell from his lips. "Jess?"

He reached up to pull down the sunglasses and dark brown eyes fell on the blonde girl in awe. "Does Peter know you're here? What are you doing here? Are you in trouble? Why are you dressed like you've been living in the woods for days?"

"Almost a week actually," Jessie replied, pushing past him into the house. "Is Lou here? We have a problem?"

"We?" Edmund's gaze went to Eustace now and he let out an astounded laugh. "You just follow trouble around don't you?"

"Think I take after you," Eustace retorted, clapping his cousin hard on the shoulder and brushing past Natalie to follow Jessie into the warmth inside.

Edmund turned to Natalie with a practiced polite smile on his lips. "Any friends of my family are welcome here," he said.

A hollow pang ran through Natalie's gut. He didn't recognize her. She stepped backwards, shutting her eyes. "I've about had enough of this. I am up to my eyeballs in shit that doesn't make sense. You're not one of those things. You're my friend, Edmund and I'll be damned if you don't remember me."

He cocked his head and the sunglasses slipped from the grasp of his gloved fingers. They clattered against the stone porch, leaving a hushed silence even the noisy automobiles seemed to abide by in their wake. "By Aslan. Nate where the hell have you been? Dramatic as ever I see." His lips quirked up in a lopsided smirk.

Natalie allowed herself to be pulled into the old familiar comfort of his embrace. He smelled like dank London air and some of his muscles from fighting wars in Narnia had worn away, but he was still the boy King she'd met aboard the Dawn Treader.

With a phone call to the hospital, Mag, Jill, and Puddleglum were sent traveling towards the Pevensie's residence. Peter was not to be found at work, nor did his siblings have the slightest inkling of his whereabouts.

After the tea was poured by Lucy, all five gathered around the kitchen counter with solemn expressions.

"So you think Aslan sent you here as a test? Or the Green Witch tricked you here into getting off course. If so, why would sending you to Peter's apartment distract you?" Lucy inquired.

Jessie paled, but didn't speak as she lowered her head.

"Do crazy bitches need valid reasons now?" Natalie chimed in.

Edmund tapped his nose in agreement. "Either way, they have to get back. Their mission is definitely not done."

"Right," Lucy sat down and clasped her hands in her lap. A faded strand of reddish hair fell against the high angle of her cheek. She had filled out from the playful girl Natalie had known. Everyone was growing up around her and she couldn't help feel as if she was suspended in a state of childhood. "Well, I'm not in active contact with Aslan anymore, but you can always try going back the way you came."

"You mean diving off a cliff? Yeah, I don't fancy that experience that again," Eustace downed his drink as if it were a numbing whiskey instead of a weak tea.

"Do you want back or not?" Lucy shrugged and Eustace mimicked the gesture in an over exaggerated manner.

"Tell you what, you try cliff diving first and if you survive, I'll be right on your tail." He declared.

They kept arguing and debating and Natalie zoned them out. From a 2015 graduation ceremony, to a Narnian quest for a lost Prince, to London in 1950. Magic had torn a path straight through her life, leaving little left for her to grasp at. Her head was spinning with all the ferocity of an Oz sized tornado, sending her flipping end over end; she was still airborne, still wondering where she would land.

"Nate,' Edmund her thoughts and she touched back down in reality with abrupt clarity. They were now the only two in the room, occupying the plaid vinyl couch.

Something warm crept from Natalie's ear down the back of her neck. She raised a hand out of obligation, swiping it away. Pain flared down her spine, scorching each nerve ending it reached. The dormant volcano of her body was now undeniably active, creating body tremors as earthquakes and for lava it spewed…blood.

"Nate, what the hell is going on? Why are you bleeding?" Edmund whispered, glancing apprehensively towards the kitchen. He tapped his well-polished black shoes to the hardwood, debating whether or not to go for help.

Without answering, Natalie took off to the utterly retro bathroom, with its black and white tiled floors and pinstripe wallpaper. She locked the door behind her, wrenching away the now blood stained scarf she'd borrowed. She scraped back the hair at her scalp until her chin length curls revealed the expanse of her neck. Her hand slammed down against the counter, to steady the understandable weak knees that came at the taunting sight of blood. She like she'd taken a stroll through a slasher movie. Red was splattered down the side of her neck, dripping down to her collar bone and onto the fabric of her green tunic.

The door unlocked and Edmund waved his key triumphantly. Natalie cranked on the water faucet, thrusting quaking hands beneath the icy flow. She splashed obsessively to wash away the evidence.

"Let me get Jessie," Edmund spoke lowly, voice tentative as if addressing an easily spooked horse.

"No!" Natalie stuffed the ruined scarf into the marble trash bin and smoothed her hair back into place. If there were no visible signs, then there was nothing wrong in her mind.

"So help me, if you say you're fine, we're going straight to the hospital," he warned.

"Don't be stupid, Of course I'm not alright. But it has to be. I…I have to be." Tears began to build behind the dams of Natalie's eyes. She kept them held wide, fearing any blink would send waves crashing over the threshold. She was more than scared; she needed some sort of explanation. So, she nodded consent for Jessie to be let into the loop. Edmund gripped her upper arms, easing her back onto the toilet seat. Natalie stared at where her boots were buried an inch into the fuchsia rug until both parties returned. Edmund silently behind him and Jessie knelt dutifully before her new patient with a hastily acquired first aid kit clutched in qualified hands.

"You didn't tell Eustace?" Natalie asked earning a tutt from Jessie as she attempted to work a thermometer into the forever moving mouth. Edmund just shook his head, gnawing away at a knuckled caught between his teeth.

When the thermometer leveled out, Jessie frowned and passed it off to her old friend. "97. Is that bad? I thought only high fevers were bad. What does low mean?" Edmund began to ramble, peering over as Natalie's pulse was counted off. "What's wrong, Jess? Do you know what's going on?"

The nurse shushed him as she listened to the heartbeat with the sketchy provided stethoscope. Then, clicking on the palm sized torch, she shinned it into Natalie's eyes, mouth, and traitorous ears. She pulled the nubs free and let them fall around her blonde waves. She sat back on her heels, folding her hands over her nose as if in prayer. Natalie could very well need it.

"Natalie, from what I can tell, you're not sick or anything of that nature. It seems like your body is just shutting down. Your ear bled because the normal maintenance systems that would prevent that are not functioning as well anymore. Everything is still working, just incredibly slow. Not quite fast enough to meet the required levels to keep you healthy."

"I'm dying," Natalie summarized.

"What? No."

Jessie ignored Edmund's denial and too both of Natalie's hands into her gentle ones for affirmation. "I have a theory, but it's not medical. It's just stuff I know from personal experience.

"Well, let's hear it," Natalie mumbled, suddenly wishing the tendrils from the rug would extend and drag her into its blindingly pink depths. That might be a simpler death.

"Time works differently in Narnia than the real world. I think something happened to you right before you arrive in Narnia. So, the symptoms all but froze in that time lock. Here, back on Earth, they're starting up again. Maybe stalled a bit because it's not your precise year. Also," Jessie paused to swallow thickly, hesitating over her next revelation. "I've been trying to figure out everyone's purpose in this quest. Jill and Eustace were directly involved by Aslan. I…I think Aslan is giving me a second chance to mend past mistakes. But I was never able to figure out you. Now, thought…well, I think Aslan brought you along to save your life. Narnia is more than a second chance for you. It's a second life."

"She can't just be spontaneously dying. What could have cause this?" Edmund asked.

"I don't know. It's not an exact science," Jessie snapped hoarsely, clearly devastated by her discovery. Her heart was always too wide, Natalie thought to herself. Her soft voice rose briefly over the lull of the heater. "Some sort of trauma like a gunshot, or a knife. She could have even just fallen downstairs and hit her head."

"What about a car wreck?" Natalie suggested darkly.

Jessie dipped her head in agreement, eyes darting about to find any other possible explanation.

"We have to get you back to Narnia," Edmund said.

"I thought that was already the plan," Mag's voice came from the now ajar door. All three heads jolted up, one trembling, one longingly, and one just perplexed.

"Pete, what the actual hell are you wearing, mate?" Edmund questioned.

"Well, shit. Long live the King and all that jazz," Natalie deadpanned.

Mags bowed his head, mouth pulling up at the corner in slight amusement. "Lu wants us in the kitchen. She and Jill have concocted some half-ass plan that will mostly likely not kill us. Also, let's not tell them anything said in this room," he added.

Edmund, Natalie, and Jessie all met gazes, coming to the same conclusion. There was no need to panic the others.

 **Just thought I'd surprise y'all with an update!**


	13. Chapter 13

_(Jessie)_

Jessie had her doubts when Lucy declared they were meeting a sketchy old man in a snowy park nearing dusk in London. Well, Lucy didn't exactly specify on the sketchy part; she actually called him Professor Kirk. Natalie was the one who'd voiced that detailed description as the bulky group made their way uptown. After a half hour of taking over the sidewalk, Jessie caught sight of the first of the park's sprawling trees. Its snow laden branches just brushed the lavender horizon. Brown grass crunched under Jessie's thick black boots and little tufts of the white fluff still drifting down from the clouds crept into the tops.

She stomped her feet to keep from thinking about the damp cold now collecting in her socks. Mag glanced back, cane bumping along haphazardly in front of him. Mag. _Peter._ No matter what she now knew, she couldn't bring herself to think of him as the man she'd once wanted to marry. It was just easier not to properly name him. He slowed his pace and Jessie groaned internally—or externally, considering the significant puff of air that just fogged up in her face. She slowed even further, causing Puddleglum, who had been holding up the rear, to angrily march around her muttering about incompetent humans. Earth was not sitting well with the little creature.

"Jess," Mag called softly. He raised a hand to his mouth, blowing heat on the covered fingers. She just shook her head, not wanting to deal with this now.

"Everyone knows now. Why not just take off that ridiculous blindfold?" Jessie clipped, hugging her arms around herself to keep in the lingering warmth from the Narnian fall in her bones.

"Eustace and Jill don't. They're the most important ones," Mag said.

"Lucky them," Jill muttered under her breath.

"They're the ones Aslan showed how to rescue Prince Rillian. Have you seen Aslan?"

"I'm not playing 20 questions with you. What are you trying to say?"

He shrugged, stuffing his free hand back into his coat pocket. "We all have our purposes. I'm supposed to be teaching them not to trust their eyes. They trusted the Green Lady and look where that got them."

Jessie understood Narnia was not about escaping reality. You went when Aslan felt you could gain something from the experience. If that was why Peter was necessary, then why was she here? Eustace and Jill were here to retrieve the Prince. Natalie was in some sort of suspended state avoiding whatever awaited her back home. But Jessie had been under the impression that her own trip to Narnia had been a onetime deal. What could be a good enough reason for Aslan to bring her back?

Up ahead, Natalie huddled behind Edmund to block the biting wind. Eustace was in the lead with something resembling the ice in his gaze. Lucy and Jill flanked him, talking casually as if they were on their way to Sunday tea. Lucy broke into a little trot when she spotted a woman in her early 30s. She rested a brown parcel on her hip and her dark brown hair was held back with a red bandana. Warm brown skin stood out against the white background, glowing like the familiarity of home. Her light green pea coat was unbuttoned revealing her polka dotted navy dress, but she seemed unaffected by the cold. Lucy tackled her in a hug earning a noisy laugh. Edmund smiled fondly, breaking away from Natalie to approach the woman. She grinned playfully up at him, ducking out of his reach only to have him snag her by her backpack and pull her into a kiss. Her left hand rose to his cheek, silver engagement ring glinting like the falling snowflakes.

"Well, hot damn," Natalie voiced Jessie's inner thoughts. Apparently Professor Kirke was a woman. These Pevensies were a good decade further along than in her home time, so there were sure to be changes in their lives. Still, she had a hard time imagining Edmund settling down with anyone.

"Hey there, Professor." he winked at her lightheartedly. "How was your teaching retreat?" he asked without removing his arms from around her waist.

"Full of snobs," she replied.

"Just your scene," Edmund teased.

"Did you bring it, Anita?" Lucy cut in.

"I don't get five minutes with my husband?" Anita joked as she dug around in her deep pockets. "I know. I know. It's an emergency. I only found the one ring. I don't know where the other ran off to. But I think we can manage this one at a time."

"What do you teach?" Jessie found herself asking curiously.

Anita glanced over as she produced an intricate ring woven with gold and silver and streaks of white. She grinned brightly and Edmund shook his head subtly. His wife missed the motion and started towards Jessie, leaving almost no mark on the lightly packed snow as she walked. "My god, Jessie. You're so young. I suppose I look old to you. This is your second trip, isn't it?" she clasped her hands over mouth even as Edmund stepped between the two women.

"Do you know what's going to happen?" Natalie demanded, tugging harshly at Anita's pack.

"I know how to help," Anita responded coyly.

Natalie's eyes cut towards Edmund like shards of glass. Her hands trembled at her sides as her earlier episode replayed behind those dark blue eyes. She was terrified of dying. "I think you should go back first," Anita said, extending her hand towards Natalie.

Natalie slapped their hands together, fear driving her. The woman began speaking in a language Jessie could not even begin to identify. With each word Natalie grew more transparent, until with one last assuring squeeze of her palm, Natalie vanished and Anita turned to the next willing participant.

"Me next!" Puddleglum volunteered. "Even the Green Lady is better than this stinky, noisy place." The same incantation sent him on his way.

Eustace stepped forward next, then Jill quickly on her friend's tail. Anita waltzed towards Mag whispering something in his matted hair that made him swat at her with his cane. After another minute, he too returned to their mission in the borders of Narnia.

"Can you send me home?" Jessie asked stepping away before Anita could touch her. The woman let her head fall to the side, straight strands of hair being picked up by the wind and blown into her face.

"What are you talking about? Narnia needs you," Lucy said.

"It needs them. I'm just dead weight," Jessie countered.

"I teach magic," Anita blurted out, successfully derailing the argument.

"There's no such class," Jessie stated without thinking.

"Oh, of course not. And that stuff I did to your friends was just smoke and mirrors. And Narnia was just a bed time story my grandfather told me."

Jessie pursed her lips in her losing stance. She searched each of their faces wondering where such absolute faith could come from. She loved the land and Aslan, but it brought back memories—things she'd prefer to leave in her childhood. Instead, she was being forced to relive them with an older version of the boy she had once fancied herself in love with. A sudden unapologetic urge swept over her. She wanted her nursing attire back. She wanted to lose herself in her work and forget everything associated with Narnia.

"You don't want to go back because of Peter, hu?" Anita phrased this like a question, but her tone left no room for debate.

"Do you enjoy quality time with your exes?" Jessie responded.

Anita held out her hand in response, waiting for Jessie to make a decision. "I could send you home if that's what you really wanted. From my experience, though, feelings tend to muddle rationality. If you really think you know better than Aslan, I'll do as you ask."

The city of London in the distance had steam dripping off the buildings, fogging up the air around it as if they could float away at any moment. But the steady piling of snow held them down; it kept people indoors. The snow seemed to bring on the thickening darkness, as if true winter itself descended on them as the sun drifted to sleep. The wind followed this example. The city, however, appeared to be genuinely waking up for the first time. Street lights illuminated the night in a halo around the tallest structures.

"What's so special about this park?" Jessie questioned.

"Nothing. It's halfway between mine and Anita and Ed's," Lucy chimed in.

"What's so special about me?" Jessie continued, quiet as a schoolgirl this time.

"Nothing," Edmund clipped.

"Ed!" Lucy chastised.

"He's right." Anita reached back, intertwining her fingers in her fiancé's with all the familiarity of a hand into a glove. "People aren't just born special. It all depends on our choices. So, what's yours gonna be?"

Jessie opened her mouth, absolutely sure of her choice. When the only sound that came out could have been mistaken for a drowning bird, she reconsidered. Yes, she wanted to go home. But the cold was penetrating even more than just the layers of her clothing; it was delving into the recesses of her mind. Bringing up memories of her first trip to Narnia.

 _She had still been a teenager, she and Peter only weeks into their senior year. Of course, their schools were separated by girls and boys, so she only ever glimpsed him while picking up his sisters. One day she was on the bus completely absorbed in her homework listening to the music of street performers drift in through the open windows. It took less time than normal to reach her stop, so she was a scrambling disaster of notes falling out of her satchel and blonde waves escaping from their neat ribbon as she tried to escape the bus. By the time she looked up from collecting her things scattered in the summer green grass, she could already feel the shift in the atmosphere—the shift in her gut. Jessie's arrival in Narnia had done more than introduce her to a few Kings and Queens; it showed her that while reality was necessary, and invariably won out in the end, a little imagination was equally important._

 _She fell in love with a land, not just a boy._

"For Aslan," she muttered.

Anita took up her queue and began the spell one final time. Her organs were liquid and her blood froze in its path. That same disorienting alteration in her core. She sensed everything changing around her, but she could not yet see it. Lucy smiled encouragingly and Edmund just bobbed his head along to some song in his head. It was Anita whose hazel eyes she saw last. Bright and fierce like a pureblood Narnian.

When the soft touch of Anita's skin melted away and the cold press of the magical ring faded, Jessie finally became aware of her surroundings. The sun was too bright for her to make out much outside of its blinding rays. She squinted, raising a hand to cover her eyes and block some of the heat. Her shoes now sunk into an unstable ground. Flies batted at her cheeks without purpose. The hot climate quickly chased away any lingering traces of London air in her lungs, leaving them scorched and raw in its wake.

A hand closed over her upper arm. Jessie's eyes spring-boarded open, absorbing Jill's stern face like it was the water her dry throat already craved.

"Easy," Jill spoke when Jessie's eyes flitted over her wide set shoulders. A desert of mountainous sand dunes and lacking any signs of vegetation stretched out in that direction. Puddleglum battled away with a falcon in search of a large meal.

Jessie spun in a circle, kicking up an arch of glittering gold sand in the process and digging herself even further into the grains. There were no signs of the others. There was no sign of the North at all. If this was Narnia, it was in the southern lands where she had never traveled. She instantly wanted to blame Anita for faulty craftsmanship. But honestly, she knew nothing ever happened in Narnia without Aslan's knowledge. This was just another one of his never ending tests.

Puddleglum shoed his new friend back to the cloudless sky and traipsed over. His stubby legs sunk all the way past mid-thigh making the progress a painstaking process. Jessie was glad for her lengthy limbs then, as the sand only kissed the bottoms of her calves. "What now?" he queried.

Jessie and Jill exchanged a look and the former shrugged with frustration. "North?" she asked.

"North," Jill agreed firmly. She shrugged off her jacket, substituting it as a headdress and began their march with the rising sun at their right.

 **A/N: I'm currently dying of stress from college. So naturally, instead of studying, I wrote this beautiful chapter. Wish me luck!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A nice little calm chapter before things start picking up again.**

 **(Sage)**

Sage roughly kneaded the clumped soil down into the neatly arranged parameters of her garden beds. Rich purple passionflowers were just beginning to display their petals to the early morning sun. Short white Lilies created a carpet like effect over the brown soil. And a few Dark Moon flowers popped up along the edges, darkening the landscape with their black hue. After the stressful night of worrying over Darius, Sage just needed a little normalcy. This was her sanctuary, where she could escape the demands and pressure of Court life. Out here, it didn't matter if her dress matched her hair ribbon. The only thing her flowers cared about was whether or not she watered them. Why couldn't a Kingdom be like that? Give the people what supplies they needed to survive and they would govern themselves. But then weeds would creep in with deceptive, lively green colors and attempt to choke the life out of her hard work.

That was a Queen's job—pruning the demanding garden that was her land. Even when her own little blossom was missing.

A pair of calloused hands reached around her waist to close over her thick gloves. Caspian kissed the crook of her neck, exhaustion evident in the heavy lean he put on her back. Sage turned, not bothering to arrange her skirts in a ladylike manner as she faced him.

"How are the kids?" she asked.

"Well, Sami has taken it upon herself to claim the entire dining room for her stuffed animal tea party. Darius is in Rilian's room reading some ancient magic book that I don't think anyone has ever actually opened before." Caspian grunted as he eased himself to the ground. "Now, I'll never get back up," he mused.

"You should know better, old man," Sage teased.

"Probably, but you look just as beautiful as ever, my dear." Caspian leaned in to kiss her mouth. Sage just laughed and pushed him away jokingly.

"Stop that you horny fiend. We aren't kids anymore. We can't just have midday frolics in the garden."

Caspian raised his eyebrows in silent argument. He slid closer, letting the grass stain his grey slacks. There would be more to come if he had his way. Against the soft pink dawn, Caspian looked like a nymph—beautiful and intoxicating. Wisps of grey hair fell against his regal cheekbones and the eyes that looked up at her were full of the same desire that created three wonderful children. She gave in to her reckless emotions, pulling him to kiss her. A servant skittered past on the overlooking balcony and ushered away a party heading their way. Once, the palace servants knew to steer clear of the garden on a particularly fine day; Caspian seemed determined to teach them that lesson again.

Fingers long skilled with the knowledge of how to undo a corset set to untying the bindings. As he pushed the material off his wife's shoulders, she shamelessly moved herself to straddle his lap. Her hands cast his belt off among her hard earned foliage. Caspian often joked that she only labored for endless hours in the garden to grow them a "dirty" to discover each other.

"Erm…,"

Sage broke away, leaving Caspian grinning proudly like a school boy after his first shag. She hastily pulled her dress back on and hurried over to the awaiting messenger. The unfortunate servant had interrupted their juvenile escapades. His hand was dutifully covering his eyes. He continued to speak before Sage had wiggled the loose fitting green material back into place over the hips that once bore all the heirs to their nation.

"Pardon the interruption your Majesties, but an important matter arose and requires your immediate presence."

"Counsel room?" Caspian inquired, securing his belt low about his waist.

"Not quite," the messenger replied. "I'll just wait in the entry hall until you two are decent. I can give you the details there."

He excused himself and Sage turned to chastise her husband for seducing her in so inappropriate a place and time. He was waiting with a teasing grin on his lips. The steadily rising sun cast angular shadows on his skin, disguising the wrinkles and throwing Sage back in time. Suddenly, she was 18 standing on the deck of the Dawn Treader in ridiculous shorts and an oversized tunic. For the life of her, she could not remember the name brand that seemed so second nature in her homeland. But she remembered Caspian's exact expression. Curious, wary, magnanimous. She had fallen in love with him faster than lightning could strike, and their life afterwards consisted of the thunderous applause royal life.

He was her beautiful perfect, always looming storm; always sweeping her up in his gale winds right back into the reaches of his love.

"Think it's about Calormen?" Caspian asked nonchalantly. He was toying with her. He could see how hot and bothered she still was. Forcing her into normal activities was the worst torture he could offer.

"It better be. You're making up for that interruption later," Sage informed him.

"Oh am I?"

"Put that smirk away. There's no one here susceptible to your whims."

"You sure, my Queen?"

Sage shoved her flat palm into his approaching face. He barked out an infectious laugh and caught her up in an impassioned hug. He kissed her hair and smoothed chaotic stray strands back into her bun. She laughed breathlessly into his shoulder, breathing in his scent to lock away for later. She prayed to Aslan that this meeting was as important as the messenger had hinted. She wanted to get her husband alone and show him who really held the power.


	15. Chapter 15

**Been drowning a lot recently. This helps me breathe.**

Reality was more of a suggestion these days. The bruise from Natalie's initial scuffle when meeting Jessie felt like a cakewalk compared to her newly issued death sentence. When she recovered from yet another magical hop between worlds, it took a good amount of her laying with her face plastered to the dirt for Natalie to piece together what all was happening. She'd been hit by a car. She was in Narnia to find Rilian. She had accidently stumbled into England then back here again. Yes, that made logical sense. Natalie rolled onto her back, splaying her arms out to the side.

She discovered Mag leaned up patiently against a tree. His left pants leg was rolled up to reveal the appendage wrapped tightly with a white gauze he must have commandeered from the hospital in his feigned search for "Peter." His blindfold was fraying around the seams and his walking stick lay haphazardly at his side.

They were in the middle of a small clearing. A Frisbee sized pool of water lay directly in the center. Her extended left arm just brushed the roots of a towering tree near the edge of the forest. Tall, thick pine trees rose up surrounding them like a wall of magnificent towers. AN ironic word choice, Natalie prided herself. The forest felt different, like she found herself in another new place. This one appeared untouched by Narnians and humans alike.

"You've been Peter this whole time?"

"You've been dying this whole time?"

Natalie blew dirt off her nose and swirled her fingers deeper into the soil around her. "Thought you didn't hear that part. But yeah, I guess, whatever."

"That's the spirit."

"Where's Eustace?" Natalie sat up in a spray of dirt. She hacked, squinting her eyes to scan the shrubbery. Surely he must be nearby.

"Nice to know you care about everyone else. I thought you were avoiding him anyway?"

"Screw you. I care about Eustace. I care about Jessie and Jill and that little grouch-wiggle."

"Not me?" Mag asked, not bothering with anger or offense. His blunt and aggressive nature was grating Natalie's nerves into a fine powder.

"No," Natalie snapped. "Now, answer my damn question."

"Eustace is taking a leak. Haven't seen Jess, Jill, or Puddleglum."

Natalie trudged over to the pool, plunging her hands beneath the surface. The cool water felt like peace against the humid sting around her. She shrugged off the heavy layers from London, determined to get clean. Once she wore only her travel trousers and a thin blue tank top, she began scooping handfuls of water to all exposed skin, scrubbing until there was more red then white. She dunked her head beneath the surface, feeling pinpricks jar at her flesh. She was experienced enough to know the touch of magic by now. She quickly pulled out, not wanting to get separated from anyone else, even someone as prickly as Mag—she had to keep mentally calling him that or risk giving away his identity for whatever lesson Aslan was trying to instill in Eustace.

"Where are we?" she asked, arranging her soaked ringlets so that they remained clear of her face.

"The Woods between worlds," Eustace's voice came.

"That's a fairytale." Mag shook his head.

"Narnia is a fairytale. You're a fairytale. The name is pretty self-explanatory, Stacey. How do we get out of here and back to the others?" Natalie asked.

"What do you mean he's a fairytale?" Eustace asked curiously, seemingly completely unruffled by the new scenery.

Mag scowled at Natalie and she laughed easily. With a trill of her hand, she waved away the question as frivolous and turned his attention elsewhere. "How do you know this?"

Eustace sat down, resting his back against the barrel rounded trunk of a tree. His eyes fluttered shut and stayed that way for so long Natalie edged closer to check if he was sleeping. A dry breeze kicked at the leaves above, making them brush together like a gentle lullaby. There were no other sounds of life. No birds singing atop branches; no crickets jabbering away in the shadows. And Eustace looked all the more tranquil for the stillness of it. His dark eyelashes caressed the tops of his freckled cheeks and parted lips let out even puffs of air. Natalie felt the sympathetic seduction of sleep too. It brushed at her tired eyes, reminding her of the countless hours since the last time she'd laid down.

Curiosity won out and the girl jabbed his unsuspecting stomach. He groaned and let his head fall to his shoulder before opening up those eyes as blue as the pool to her back. "Aslan told me. He found me in the woods. Said we'd reach the last part of our quest through there." He nodded to the body of water without much conviction. His voice was low with fatigue and his breath even warmer than the air around them. Natalie realized her proximity then and forced herself not to correct it. She was done being afraid of him and the Green Lady. She might die, but she'd go out full throttle with the little life she had remaining. "I vote for a nice month long nap first," he breathed, falling back into his stupor still sitting up.

"Agreed. We won't be much good nearly comatose on our feet," Mag said.

"Thanks for including me in the decision, guys," Natalie grumbled even as her body complied with the two examples. She bunched her jacket up under her head as a pillow. Despite how tired she was, she couldn't convince her body to give in. A faint memory poked its head out of its hiding space, reminding Natalie of her first night back in Narnia in a similar position. Unlike then, she was no longer under the impression that Eustace was merely a friend. They'd _kissed._ She'd been too caught up in this mission to realize that she wanted to do it again—over and over until everything else was forgotten.

Crawling across the limited space, Natalie set her jacket against Eustace's outstretched thigh and nestled her head into the fabric. She was even tenser now. A second away from reversing her decision, a hand wound into the back of her hair, offering comfort and acceptance. Natalie exhaled her worries away, relaxing into Eustace's touch. They may have to march through hell itself in the morning, but for now she was content in their little purgatory.

"Eustace?" she whispered knowing full well sleep had already claimed him. Mag stirred slightly, but Natalie figured she was safe to talk. Eustace was the only one she cared about overhearing her admission. "I'm sorry I'm so difficult. I just…I…"

"Some people are trying to sleep," Mag complained.

"You're not people," Natalie hissed back hotly.

Mag grunted in unwilling laughter. He pulled the rag down harshly over his eyes like a sleep mask. Eustace shifted now, letting out a shush to silence them both. His fidgeted for a minute before letting his arm fall over the dip in Natalie's waist. She settled in now, no longer motivated enough to resist the allure of unconsciousness.

Eustace was trying to wiggle free from beneath Natalie. "I'm still sleeping," Natalie complained.

"Clearly." Eustace yanked his leg free and Natalie sat up only to scowl at him. He grinned deviously and stooped to offer a hand up. Natalie took it and thrust him down, using the momentum to stand. Dusting off her attire, she felt arms wrap around her from behind and an all too impish voice speak beside her ear. "You looked beautiful drooling on my thigh."

"Wasn't much to drool about," Natalie retorted.

Truthfully, she wouldn't mind being near other things in that region. She turned in his arms, leveling a petulant sneer up at his unfair height. Eustace dipped his head, smirking when his pressed his nose in line with hers and Natalie's breath hitched like a cowgirl at a rodeo. "You done pulling away?" he asked.

"You done pushing?"

"Not quite," he replied before kissing her.

This kiss was not even a third cousin to their first. Eustace was sure of himself and willing to claim her as his with the deed. Natalie might have given a speech about independence due to the possessiveness of the action, but she'd already staked her claim in him a long time ago. The night she crept into his room she knew what she was getting into. Now, she was finally getting to relish in the consequences. His kiss made her delirious and was simmering against the already muggy air.

"By Aslan, I did not sign up for this kind of wake up call," Mag grumbled.

The pair continued on, unabashed by the audience.

"Ok, I'm going find Jess and the others. You two can join me when you're finished satisfying your bloody hormones." Mag limped to the edge of the pool. He let his shoulders fall back squarely and tested the water with his cane. Natalie and Eustace parted just in time to watch him step into the center of the puddle water. His foot vanished beneath the surface and, unable to stop himself, the rest of Mag was quick to follow.

"Race ya," Natalie sang, dashing to the edge of the puddle and flinging herself into its Mary Poppins worthy depths. It swallowed her up entirely, yet the water did nothing to dampen her skin.

The water rushed around her like riptide, swallowing her into its depths. When her feet finally reached solid land again, Natalie stumbled several feet before regaining control of her composure. Eustace was not helping in that matter. While he reached over a steadying hand against her lower back, Natalie's legs only got weaker remembering the embrace they'd shared only moments prior.

When she was finally able to tear her gaze away from Eustace, Natalie gaped at her surroundings. Gone was the lush forest. In its place stood mahogany walls decorated with the riches that would make Cair Paravel blush in contrast. The rugs were woven with silk; Natalie worried even stepping on them would wrinkle the silver fabric. Chandeliers made of clear crystals and glittering emeralds lit the hallways like an ethereal disco ball. At the t-intersection to her right there was a bust carved out of a black stone. Depicted in the onyx pallor was the Green Lady herself.

"Oh, we are so fucked," Natalie groaned.

Mag opened the door nearest them, pushing against the piles of dirty clothes to weave his way in. A few moments later, a grass stained tunic smacked Natalie in the face. A simple pair of trousers was quick to follow along with a servant's cap meant to tuck her easily identifiable hair away in. The entire outfit fell to the pristine floor with a lackluster thud. Mag emerged with his own masquerade already arranged over his muscled body. He passed Eustace a wadded up assortment of clothes and crossed his arms.

"What are we doing?" Eustace asked. He dressed even as he questioned the authority behind Mag's straight back.

"Want the Green Lady to find you quicker? Be my guest. My guess is that this is the final stop on our little journey. Our goal needs to be to blend in and find Rillian if he's here."

"Mate, no offense, but how are you gonna see Rillian?" Eustace inquired.

"Do _you_ know what the Prince looks like?" Mag countered.

Eustace shrugged on the clothes that were meant for a baby giant. As an oversized human, the attire fit just right. "Jill had the clue. She knew how to find him."

"Right, so till she decides to show up, we play loyal servants. You think you can manage to keep your mouth shut, Natalie?"

Natalie tied off her pants without amusement. She knew Mag could see through that faux eye rag and she wanted him to see her scowl and lay off the bossiness. He may be accustomed to ruling a country, but she was no subject. She bit her tongue to still the sharp retort. If she wanted to stay alive inside these walls, she had to start acting like a meek servant.


	16. Chapter 16

**_What that? A quick update? I'm surprised too, you guys. I've got most of the ending ready, I just have to keep posting! Please enjoy and review! I haven't heard anything from y'all in a while. :'(_**

 _(Jessie)_

Nearly 12 hours of travel rewarded the weary desert guests with shade from a mini mountain. On its ridge, shadows of civilization thrived. Even at the base, Jessie could pick out the chatter of people mingling with the babbling of a life bringing water source. Maybe a great river where she could disappear beneath its surface.

Jill led the brief march up the steep mountain-side, determination of a true Londoner shinning in the too quickly rising sun. While Puddleglum swayed on his feet, Jessie trailed dutifully behind him; her unpredictable shifts and late nights on call did well to prepare her for these undertakings. They needed rest, shelter, and food, but most of all water. The night had been a blessing and their consistent movement kept them thoroughly warm, but dehydration was a real factor in this climate.

When a little girl with braided black hair appeared on a ridge with a giant iguana at her side, Jessie initially wrote it off as a mirage. "Narnians!" she blurted before scrambling into a cave.

Puddleglum was quick to follow, but Jessie held back, remembering the last time they'd trusted their safety to one such passageway. Jill moved forward, determination pinching her brow into a firm crease.

"You trust her?" Jessie called out.

"Do you have water?" came the response.

That fact was hard to argue with. Her sandpaper throat piped up as if the point hadn't already been made. Jessie pried her leather boots free of the sand with a grunt and began bringing up the rear. The cave offered a much needed respite from the sun. Puddleglum's flat feet could be heard echoing off the walls several yards ahead. Jessie hurried to catch up to Jill. The college senior offered a grim smile, keeping distrustful eyes attached to the bouncy child leading them up the steeply sloped ramp.

The village caught her off guard. Jessie has imagined a few clay houses made out of whatever building materials could be found in the endless desert and a few hardy locals. But what she uncovered was a hub of life. The village was brimming with civilization. The docks on the river operated as a quick trade route. There were several story buildings towards the city center made of concrete that seemed to sweat in the heavy heat. The roads were congested with horses, carriages, centaurs, fauns, and Calormen shouting in their native tongue.

The girl wove through the traffic much like any London native would. Puddleglum happily followed along. Jill reached back for Jessie's hand to keep track of her only friend in the crowd. Together they made their precarious way to the line of high-rise buildings. Jessie couldn't help comparing the city to a baby metropolitan area. How long before they engineered sky scrapers and automobiles. Narnia was always such a primitive land in her experience. To see them developing and evolving sat uneasily with Jessie.

In her bafflement, Jessie lost sight of Puddleglum and the girl. Only the flash of a purple lizard tail told of their entrance into one of the older looking brick structures. The thick walls quickly cut out the blaring noise from outside. Pens could be heard scratching on paper and the smell of official stamps wafted through the dirty air.

Puddleglum stood before a receptionist desk painted a painful mismatch of orange and green checkers as the girl leaned over the counter, using her pet as a step stool. Her coils of dark hair bounced against her ears as she nodded energetically.

Jill leaned over to whisper in Jessie's ear. "You've been here before. Do you know what they're saying?"

"Not so much. At all, actually," Jessie responded.

"The little one is asking where the moon and stars are," Puddleglum interpreted.

"Pretty sure you have to wait for night?" Jill muttered incredulously.

The receptionist, who had strangely feline features, lowered her spectacles to reveal dubious yellow eyes and nodded slowly. The girl whooped and the lizard jutted out its tongue in its own version of celebration. She turned to jabber away to us excitedly.

"Um, something about ascending to the sky," Puddleglum mused.

"Can you tell her we don't fly?" Jill asked.

"No. I only picked up a little from trade markets back home. I can't actually speak it. Maybe if I had some paper…and she's moving."

The girl dashed to the spiral of stairs circling the wall all the way to the domed top. The lizards stayed firmly planted at the bottom, settling impatient eyes on the group.

"Guess we're climbing," Jill spoke.

"There's no hand railing," Jessie murmured, twisting the ends of her sweat drenched hair in fear.

Puddleglum was already climbing. He might verbally complain so much even the heavens complained, but he had a lot of innate faith. Jessie found herself jealous of that trait. It took considerable weighing of options for her to act on any impulse. Jill was all about facts. The fact that their one advocate was quickly getting away spurred her into action.

Jessie counted steps to distract her already exhausted mind. Once she reached the 300s, she began praying for relief. If they didn't reach their destination soon, she was certain her legs would give out and send her tumbling right onto the lizard at the base, and he would probably eat her in irritation at a disruption of his nap.

The girl disappeared into an ajar door and Puddleglum paused at the threshold only briefly. Jill waited long enough for a puffing Jessie to catch up. Jill's face was scrunched up trying to make out the voices coming from the other side.

"April. My darling I said not to interrupt mommy while she's in a meeting."

"Narnians!" the girl, April insisted.

"Everyone in our entourage is accounted for," Jessie knew that voice.

This time, she led the way for Jill. Her eyes searched through the pinched faces for one she prayed she remembered after years away. He was older, grey bearded, but those brown eyes were the same. And when they fell on her, they blinked heavily a few time in disbelief.

"Clouds above, is Aslan bringing everyone back?" Caspian spoke.

"50 year reunion," the woman at his side chimed in teasingly. "Jill, didn't we send you north? You know this is about far south as one can get."

"There was a witch involved, Sage," Jill responded.

"And a falcon," Puddleglum input.

Sage smiled warmly, though a bit strained. The golden circlet on her brow weighed her chin down slightly. "Then we must do everything in our power to get you back on task."

* * *

"Seriously though, what are the possibilities that the King and Queen of Narnia are in Calormen negotiating a peace treaty the day we get lost in the desert?" Jill mused.

She and Jessie lounged on plush cushions in one of the upper rooms, which meant they had no ceiling to offer protection above. The Calormens loved their buildings, but they also still appreciated their landscape. As dusk settled, the night's coolness washed over the girls' freshly scrubbed skin. Their thin white dresses were typical attire from the region and their sandals revealed now grime free feet.

Jessie's wavy blond hair splayed around her offering a comforting aroma of imported oils. The royal treatment was one she could live with. This blissful relaxation tempted her to never get up again. Puddleglum was off in his own room probably ordering his long scraggly beard to be braided.

"Negative."

"You can't have negative odds," Jill replied quickly, always a know it all.

"You can't teleport with magic rings," Jessie retorted.

They were quiet for a long while. Jessie relaxed enough to allow a brief nap before their door opening drew her reluctantly back to the world of the waking. Sage was entering the room. Her hair was tied up in a silk scarf.

"We leave shortly. Are you two ready?"

"Do we have to be?" Jill asked.

Sage smiled kindly and held out two hands. Jessie pushed to her feet first. She liked the Queen enough. She imagined the woman and her motherly tendencies were a form of stability Caspian needed in his life. Jill looped her arm through the Queen's a moment after Jill. Together they wove down the intricate stairwell. Somehow the precarious drop off didn't seem as terrifying with A Queen on her right. The docks were right out the back doors of the Governing building. Caspian waited alongside the boat rotating his left arm tenderly.

"Feeling aright, sweetie?" Sage inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Caspian cleared his throat quickly before nodding to his two additional passengers.

As thrilled as Jessie was to board, her training kept her in place. "Is there also pain in your back or neck?" she asked.

"Um, I guess. Why? I'm old. Things are supposed to hurt."

"Do you mind if I take your pulse and listen to you breathe? Are you feeling dizzy at all?"

"Are you a Doctor or something? We have healers back at the Castle, but he refuses to see them regularly. What's wrong?" Sage said.

Jessie was quiet while she worked, brow furrowing as she counted his heart beat. She'd give anything for a simple watch right now. As it was, she had to rely on her gut to tell her that it was elevated.

"King Caspian, you need to lay down right away. You're showing early symptoms of heart disease. You don't happen to have access to anything similar to Nitroglycerin or Aspirin?"

"He's having a heart attack?" Sage murmured.

"Not yet. We can prevent it if we lower his strain and stress."

"I'm fine," Caspian input.

"Shut up. Obey the Doctor's orders," Sage instructed. He dipped his head reluctantly and disappeared into the Captain's cabin.

Sage turned back to Jessie with water lining under her green eyes. "I always tell him he's over worked. Thank you. You just saved his life."

"I'm just a nurse. I see this type of stuff all the time." Jessie brushed it off. The second she did, the gratitude hit her all over again. Working in a big hospital had numbed her. She was passed around from patients so much, they all began to blur together. She'd lost the simple joy of finding a problem and doing something to fix it. She'd forgotten why she wanted to be a nurse in the first place. It had been a simple desire to help those she could.

Jessie laughed breathlessly. Aslan knew what he was doing after all. As if waiting for the breakthrough, the great cat emerged. Sage fell into a deep curtsy instantly and Jill just stared a bit angrily.

"I'd say we're a little off course," Puddleglum spoke up first.

"You're exactly where I wanted you. But now, yes, your friends and Prince need you," Aslan declared. "Climb on."

Puddleglum shrugged and obeyed as if that was the most reasonable request he could have produced.

"You knew I'd fail," Jill stated. Aslan blinked all-knowing golden eyes at her and she sighed loudly. "I know. I know. Learning experience. Geez." She clambered onto his study back neck like they were getting on a school bus instead of a terrifying beast that could kill them all with a swipe of its lethal claws. Jessie remembered how terrified she'd been the first time she had encountered Aslan. Her medical mind ran through every possible way he could kill and dissect them for fun. Meanwhile, Peter, who'd instantly become at peace, had knelt reverently.

Now, Jessie dipped her head in respect whispering a simple but soulful, "Thank you."

As she settled into place atop the silky fur and laced her fingers into the dense mane, Aslan let out a menacing roar that Jessie was sure would permanently deafen her. Sage wrapped her hands above her heart and beamed up at the group. "Bring my son home."

With those parting words, they set off with the speed of a dozen horses across the vast desert headed north.


	17. Chapter 17

**(Natalie)**

While one of Natalie's most cherished tasks was consuming food, she lacked any essential skills involved in actually concocting meals. Her servant's disguise labeled her as a member of the kitchen staff. Luckily, the working area was consistently too crowded for anyone to notice her bullshitting her way through meal preparation processes. Somehow, after working near the pork entre, she still ended up with chocolate from desert smeared down the front of her apron. She was just on the verge of searching for the culprit when the head chef dismissed them for the evening and began kicking the dishwashers into first gear.

Natalie was happy to retire early. It was only her second day incognito, but already the intense schedule was taking a toll on her. She craved free time, some sort of release. So, when she came across an empty room, she hastily slipped inside and claimed it as her own. With a dramatic sigh, she flopped face down on the center of the carpeted floor. It smelled strongly of a poignant perfume.

"Who would've thought Princes could hide so well," She muttered to herself.

She twisted her graduation ring around her finger, finding the metal exceptionally cool at the moment. In fact, the long she remained, the colder it grew. She sat up catching sight of her breath fogging up in the air. It was like winter in here. An uneasy feeling wormed into her gut. She no longer craved freedom; she just wanted to be out of that room.

"Miss, you're not supposed to be in here," a stern voice came from the doorway.

"Yeah, I was picking up on that much."

Natalie scrambled towards the guard gesturing her out. She stopped short when she recognized that chiseled jaw. "Mag? Don't scare me like that, shit. Where have you been? Have you seen Eustace? He's just a hand servant but I haven't been able to find him anywhere."

Mag worked his jaw, frowning slightly. "Who are you?"

"What? Alright, joke's over. Seriously, dude."

He didn't reply at first. Then in an almost mechanical voice he said, "Natalie of Earth."

"Are you high?"

He grasped Natalie's arm so hard she yelped in pain. The chinks in his armor bit into her skin harshly. "We've been looking for you. Where is the third?"

Natalie reached up, ripping his eye rag away. For the first time he truly looked blind. His hallow gaze cut right through her. He didn't even blink. He was just as mindless as the other servants. The Green Witch must have gotten to him somehow. Natalie had no intention of being next. "What the fuck?" she cried dramatically, widening her eyes to point behind Mag.

Mag looked away for a split second, but that was all she needed. Natalie had taken more than one self-defense class in her day and Caspian had spent ample time instilling the basics of fighting back on the Dawn Treader. That was more than enough for her to throw a decent punch. Unfortunately, his fast reflexes kept her from hitting the softer cheek and sent her knuckles cracking into his nose. She raw red run down his face, felt the jarring repercussions lash up her own arm, and turned to sprint away.

It didn't take many turned corners for Natalie to become thoroughly lost. A Knight stood guard dutifully down the hallway. She quickly schooled her features into that of the mindless servants throughout the castle and approached. She knew she had no hope of escape without some form of aid.

"Good Sir, The Lady of Green Kirtle requests one of her hand servants personally," Natalie droned in a fake haphazard tone.

"The servants have retired to their quarters." The Knight nodded down a long hallway. "You will find who you seek in there."

"Sweet…I mean, a thousand thank yous." Natalie dashed off before he too came to question her loyalties.

She poked her head into room after room, only succeeding in rousing those who were already engaged in other heated activities. Most were too drained to even notice their heavy door being opened. After she was sufficiently scarred, she actually rammed an innocent boy with the back of the door.

"Shit, I'm sorry," she bumbled to his side, praying he wouldn't unconsciously summon the Green Witch for her hurried error.

"It would be you," an irritated voice groaned.

Natalie reached down, throwing back his hood and fell onto her ass in relief. He was massaging a quickly forming bruise on his head and looked more drained than a lemon after being juiced, but it was without a doubt Eustace. What was with her injuring Aslan's chosen today? Soon she'd no doubt be clobbering herself with a whisk. Or maybe she'd accidently push Rillian down a flight of stairs. Sage would not be please with that end to their little adventure.

"Oi!" Eustace was shaking her shoulder. "I was about to come looking for you and Mag. What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Mag has Witch for brains."

"Well that's unfortunate. Are you ok?"

Eustace was cupping her face, eyes assessing her for damage even though she was the one who'd just rammed him with the door. In the adrenaline of hiding combined with the comfort of his presence, her next statement bubbled out without even bothering to consult her brain. "I love you." Her heart cheered at finally voicing its opinion. Her snail of a brain melted in mortification. Luckily, her mouth shut up for once before adding further insult to injury. She expected laughter maybe or a dramatic declaration from himself. Instead, he ran a hand down one of her short pigtails, rubbing his thumb over the little curls at the end. "Why?" he murmured.

That was a really good question, one she was not prepared to answer. So, she leaned in to kiss him. He kissed Natalie back gently for a few moments before pushing her away. He held her gaze with those pale blue eyes. Eyes that had crossed an ocean with her. Eyes which had soared above clouds when he was a dragon. Eyes that had accomplished the simple task of not being run over by a car at college, something Natalie couldn't seem to manage. Now they looked at her like she was more important than all those things. And she no longer regretted telling him. Even though she could not explain her feelings, they were the truth.

"My Lady!" The Knight's voice carried down the hallway, unusually loud for such a formal address.

Eustace was on his feet, soundlessly pulling Natalie towards his wardrobe in the corner. "They followed me. Oh my god. Shit, I'm sorry, Stacey. I just needed to make sure you were ok. They're gonna make us like Peter now. Just throw me into the hallway and I'll keep running. They never have to know I was here."

Eustace pulled back the wardrobe doors and lifted her petite frame inside. There was a single change of clothes in there along with a moth eaten pair of cloth shoes. "Stay quiet," he instructed.

"What!" Natalie hissed as he shut the door.

A split second later it jerked back and she shrieked, thinking the Green Witch had materialized that fast. Eustace stood there with a questioning look on his face. "Did you say Peter?" he demanded.

"Um, no?"

"That twat. I knew Mag was familiar. Don't talk." He kissed her cheek this time before shutting her away in darkness.

Natalie knew the original story of the Pevensies and how a magical wardrobe had transported them into Narnia. The irony was not lost on her. This one was painfully ordinary, however. It offered no much needed escape. In fact, it felt more like a prison than anything.

Without warning, there was a crash as Eustace's bedroom door slammed open and rattled as it struck the wall. "Scrubb," Mag's voice came.

"I knew you would return for me," The Green Witch sang.

Natalie did her best not to vomit in her confined space.

"Where did your little friend go?" she drawled.

"Nate? Haven't seen her. Have you checked the kitchen?" Eustace replied evenly, with just a hint of smartass to make Natalie smirk proudly.

"My guard found her in my personal chambers earlier and has since misplaced her. We were wondering if you could help us."

Natalie fought the urge to gag once again. Personal chambers? She struggled not to think about what went on in there or the fact that she'd rubbed herself all over the carpet. She didn't fancy the Witch as the type of woman to take on lovers. Still, she didn't want to risk touching any of the cooties from those unfortunate victims.

"Maybe I could help you look," Eustace offered without even a hint of conformity. He didn't like to obey authority back home much less a wannabe tyrant in a magical land.

"So noble of you. You can join your friend as my personal guard. Now…" Natalie was ready when the wardrobe opened this time. She hurled herself out in full attack mode. Nails were clawing and feet were kicking like a cat dropped in water. A simple flick of the Green Witch's wrist completely immobilized her. "There you are. How did you all manage to slip in unnoticed?" she purred.

"It probably wasn't very smart to make Aslan your enemy," Eustace input. "All powerful and all that." He winked and Natalie had the misfortune of being turned on by his snark. This was no time for hormones.

The Green Witch's felt no such emotions. Her deceptively sweet smile curdled. She placed a bony finger against Eustace's forehead right beside his new door shaped bruise. Her long blonde braid tickled the end of his nose as his eyes glazed over. That free sky blue orbs turned to pools of murky water. "Seems he can't even protect his chosen ones, much less an entire country. I'll take my chances."

She turned on Natalie. Even though her body was frozen, her mouth fired away rapidly. "I know the stories about the real White Witch. You're just some cheap knock off. Making people mindless drones? Such a cliché trope. Learn a real trick, then I'll be impressed."

She placed a burning finger against Natalie's forehead. Scalding like an overfed fire instead of frozen like she anticipated. Natalie closed her eyes, waiting for her mind to be taken over. Waiting to become a puppet in her own skin. The Green Witch frowned and pressed her palm flat over Natalie's face.

"What's wrong?" Mag questioned.

The Witch didn't answer. She scowled as her magic refused to latch onto the girl. "Something is protecting you." She snapped her fingers and Mag was retraining Natalie. "Take her to my chambers with the other."

"Other?" Natalie called as Mag literally dragged her from the room. Eustace was a helpless pawn now. The thought of leaving him made her insides drop to the floor.

Mag was relentless in his execution of his orders. His fingers were abusive against her skin as he hauled her down the hallways. Finally, he kicked open the doors to the room Natalie had occupied earlier, the Green Witch's toy room. Only when Mag dropped her did Natalie realize she was the toy. He pulled shackles through an iron loop nailed into the wall and bound them around Natalie's wrists. She didn't fight back. She had no faith in her ability to land another blow on his now wary form. At least his nose was swollen and purple to show for her hard work. She would save her strength for some other form of escape. Mag slammed and locked the door when he left, leaving the sharp echo to fill the void of the room.

"Please, by Aslan, do you have any food?"

"Shit!" Natalie jumped at the quiet, scratchy voice.

A man with long brown hair and an unkempt beard stared up at her with eyes resembling that of a kicked orphan dog. Only one family had eyes like those. The Witch must have the room enchanted so that none could see him. Now that Natalie herself was a prisoner, she guessed that wasn't much of an issue. But why had this spell worked and not the other?

"Prince Rillian?" Natalie asked. "No offense, but why aren't you dead? Why aren't you a zombie like the rest?"

"She needs me alive and pure of magic for her spell," Rillian said.

"What spell? Don't hold out on me."

"She thinks she's a hero. That an eternal summer will make everyone happy and solve all the problems. She thinks that if she sacrifices me on the solstice Narnians will fall at her feet in relief from the tyranny."

"Caspian's still alive. Sage and your brother and sister will still rule."

"Not with this spell. No, this spell will kill every human in Narnia."

"Awesome."


	18. Chapter 18

**Well guys, this is where shit goes down. I hope I've built it up sufficiently and I hope you are all prepared for this!**

 **(Jessie)**

Being a ninja was proving exceptionally challenging. Puddleglum, even with his massive feet, managed to crawl through the underground passageways soundlessly. Jill for her part, seemed to find every loose pebble or puddle of water. This, at least made Jessie feel better. Like maybe they were just playing at an adventure instead of sneaking into the castle of a powerful and vindictive witch. Jessie did her best to avoid drawing any additional attention to them and was successful for the most part. Until the loose fabric of her dress snagged a loose rock on the wall. The recoil sent her feet sliding on the slick ground and her chin cracking against the hard floor.

Her two companions froze, waiting for all the minions of the hell to descend on them. Traveling through the underworld was dangerous enough with the low oxygen levels and questionable chemicals in the water without encountering the creatures that inhabited the land. The Green Witch liked to claim this realm as her own, but as Aslan's parting words promised, all of Narnia belonged to his Father. They would remain safe as long as they remained on the path Aslan set them on. That didn't mean any of the travelers wanted to push their lucky by being loud.

"Come on. Get up," Puddleglum caught Jessie under her arms, hauling her back to standing. Blood trickled down her chin from the open wound.

"Wait," Jill murmured, staring down an adjacent tunnel.

"Hey," Puddleglum snapped. "Stay the course."

"But I think I see him. I see Prince Rillian."

"This is no time to fall victim to the Witch's tricks, human. My kind have been deceived by her too many times to fall prey again. Move," Puddleglum took her elbow in his other arm and totted both women out the tunnel.

They found themselves at the tail end of a servants' corridor. And when Jessie turned her gaze back, she saw only a concrete wall from where they'd come. The smell of burning omelets met her along with the clank of pots and pans that one might find in any domestic kitchen. Yet, Jessie knew the room a few yards to their right was no such place. It would be filled with the Green Witch's pawns. Jessie could only pray that her friends were not among the mind controlled masses. She desperately needed their help to defeat the evil that lurked in these hallways and to bring Rillian back to his parents.

Just as Jessie was orienting herself, a guard rounded the corner. Jill froze and Puddleglum skirted away. Jessie hesitated a brief moment before flinging herself into action. His armor was designed to defend against blows from weapons far more fierce than her fists. So, she went for a different method. Jessie spun around the guard, faster than his armor would allow him to react. She kicked out his knees and swung herself to pin his arms. Jill recovered by then and grasped for his flailing legs. The guard was just beginning to call for help when Puddleglum pulled back his mask. Peter's vivid blue eyes were glaring up at her like she was a bomb about to detonate on his face.

"Apologies, your grace," Puddleglum said before knocking Peter unconscious with a swift blow.

All sat back, waiting for more guards or a curious servant to investigate. When no one came, Puddleglum spoke up again. "Split up?"

"Oh, like hell," Jill snapped. "This group is not getting any thinner. We stick together. Jessie, can you break my nose?"

"Yes. No. What?"

"Alright. Do it, then put on that uniform. I'm gonna play captive. Puddleglum, see if you can get Peter back to those tunnels."

"What are you gonna do?" Puddleglum asked.

"Not me. Jessie's gonna impersonate the King," Jill said.

Jessie was just tall enough to fill out Peter's uniform if she kept her shoes on. It smelled of him, too familiar. The scent tried to dredge up old, distracting memories, but Jessie shoved them down and rapped one metal enclosed fist against the Green Witch's chamber doors. They were easy to distinguish from the lesser quality wooden doors. These were made from a fierce amber oak and lined by intertwining gold and silver vines.

Her other hand, she kept fisted into the back of Jill's loose shirt. Blood dripped down the younger girl's tan jaw and purple was creeping up to shadow beneath her eyes. Jessie's medical training taught her how to mend bones, so in turn, she knew the best place to break them. The flat of her palm throbbed dully from the impact, but the adrenaline was quickly working to numb the area.

No voice called her to enter, but she did anyway. Jessie nearly forgot her purpose when she did. She saw the Green Witch. She saw the dagger she had attempted to use against Peter raised high above his bare neck. The Green Witch stood inside a circle, armed hand hovering over the Prince who sat in a gleaming metallic chair. Runes covered his face like a textured painting, silver like the chair beneath him. Behind them, Natalie strained against her restraints so hard, scarlet drippled down her fingertips.

"One of Aslan's?" The Green Witch's voice was laced. She was irritated at being interrupted, but her interest in the chosen of the Great Lion overrode that.

Jessie cut a curt nod and thrust Jill onto her stomach just outside the perimeter of the circle. The Green Witch skipped away from Rillian, who collapsed forward onto his hands weakly, to investigate her new pet. "I was just practicing the ceremony. I still have 9 minutes before the moon is in position," she sang. "Otherwise your intrusion would have been met much differently."

"Kill your own servants too?" Jill spat.

The Green Witch pinched her scarlet chin, making the girl wince. Jessie took her opportunity to edge closer to Natalie. She could hear the click her Peter's sword against her side as she moved ever so subtly. Natalie was quiet for once. Her bronzed skin was slick with sweat. She kept her gaze trained carefully forward, off approaching help.

Jessie slid her blade into her hand and began sawing at the constricting ropes. She was certain she nicked Natalie more than once, but the girl remained silent. She was only halfway through when she heard the door slam open. She had only enough time to look up before Eustace slammed her face into the stone wall. The blade clattered away and Jessie felt her wrists twist at horribly wrong angles. She cried out, shifting to take the pressure off them, but Eustace would not let up.

"Think you're clever?" Peter sang from the Green Witch's side.

Jill groaned as their plan crumpled around them. "Where's Puddleglum?" she demanded.

"Little bastard got away. Disappeared into the tunnels," Peter admitted.

At least one of them would survive this, Jessie thought. As if sensing her defiant thoughts, Eustace added his bony elbow to the small of her back. "By Aslan, ease up!" Jessie hissed under her breath. There was no physical way she could overpower him. There was no need for his added force.

Just as she uttered the words, he went rigid. His grip didn't lessen, but he no longer tried to add to her pain. "Aslan?" he whispered.

Jessie found herself grinning against the too warm walls. She tilted her head back to catch sight of boyish blue eyes. Eustace was in control again. Aslan had not abandoned them. He was with them in this fight till the end. Jessie nodded to her blade scattered by Rillian's limp form and Eustace nodded. "Get Nate. I'll protect the Prince." He murmured before throwing her to the ground.

Jessie's helmet smacked into the side of her temple, temporarily disabling her while Eustace swept up the blade and put himself between the helpless Prince and his kidnapper. Jill tucked and rolled to his side and brought up her fists for a weapon. The old duo exchanged devious smirks and shouldered off against the Green Witch and her puppet king.

Halting the spin in her mind, Jessie unsheathed the heavy sword on her belt and effectively sliced Natalie to freedom.

"Oh, thank god. My arms lost feeling an hours ago. Are they supposed to be grey?" Natalie inquired, rubbing her sore and bleeding limbs.

"You'll live," Jessie informed her.

Natalie frowned at the comment and pushed to her feet. Her face turned the color of her arms and she sat back down hard. Jill and Eustace were successfully avoiding death in their dual with the Witch, fulfilling their destiny. Peter had his gaze set on Jessie; he was hers. Jessie shifted the sword in her weary hand and told Natalie to keep her head down. "My specialty," Natalie muttered.

Peter was in a common linen shirts and loose brown pants that only reached his calves. His shifted on the balls of his bare feet and swapped a borrowed sword between equally dominant hands. He had been the one to train her. If she could not overpower him, Jessie knew she could hold her own.

He attacked first. The blow sent her muscles quivering beneath the stolen armor. Peter felt no such recoil, an effect of years of practice and mind control. He rounded to her undefended side, scraping the metal against metal. The force sent her stumbling back into the same wall Eustace had pinned her to. _Of course!_

"Peter," she tried his name first. No one had used that since he'd come here. "Peter, by Aslan come back to me!"

There was no falter this time. Peter didn't hesitate when he registered that. He swung at her head. Jessie yelped and ducked just in time for the blow to knock off her helmet. A mess of blonde blocked her vision just long enough for Peter to land a kick against her unprotected cheek. Pain clawed down her chest, settling like a fist around her heart. This was Peter, her Peter. And she couldn't help him.

Jessie's arms shot out, grabbing Peter's leg before he could retract it, yanking until he lost his balance. He was quick to recover, but it also gave Jessie time to get her feet under her. She brought her sword up to just kiss the air in front of his gut. Peter grinned like they were playing a game of tag and let her advance a few steps before stepping into her bubble and jamming his elbow down on the juncture of her neck. Jessie feigned a fall and instead slipped behind him. She raised her sword to his throat and he spun so fast a thin line traced into his skin. Now his weapon pinched a chink in her side sharply and his nose brushed against her almost tenderly.

Jessie shut her eyes, not wanting to sway in her resolve. He could cause harm, but her position was lethal. "Drop it," she hissed. She did not want to kill him, but her wants didn't matter compared to a need to survive.

"Not a chance, love. Do it," Peter taunted in a voice so empty it shredded the remaining threads holding Jessie's heart in one piece.

"I do love you." She smiled sadly. "Always will."

Peter blinked once, twice. On the third, his arms went around her neck in an attempt to strangle her. Jessie gasped and went to twist away, but his hold was too tight. Jill cried out in victory distantly. He said something that stilled her entirely. It wasn't cruel or in any voice other than the one she used to fall asleep listening to. "Jess," he murmured into her hair. A whimper escaped her mouth and she gave in to the hug, dropping her offensive weapon in the process. It scattered to destroy the ring surrounding the Prince.

"Don't mess with Bambi and Stacey, bitch!" Eustace called, holding up his arms and hooting. Jill twirled around him and the Green Witch laid unconscious on the floor. Jill had the hag's wand clutched triumphantly.

"Alright. Good job team," Natalie cheered from the floor where she'd yet to open her eyes.

Jessie laughed, burying her face into Peter's neck. He needed a shower. She probably needed one more. She knew her words hadn't broken him out of the trance; that had been all Eustace and Jill. But, the way he held her told her that they weren't the only team to overcome their obstacles today.

Jill fist bumped Eustace and proceeded to prod at an extremely swollen nose as she bent over her knees. Eustace caught her shoulders, keeping his friend from following the blood she spat to the ground. Everyone missed it. There was too much happiness and relief to suspect any remaining ill intent. When Rillian rose to his feet, Jessie smiled reassuringly towards him, like she would to any recovering patient. He started towards Natalie, the girl who'd shared his prison.

"So much for our Christmas plans, Ril. Charades won't be nearly as exciting with full range of motion," Natalie's quick mouth prattled away as she rubbed at her blood encrusted wrists.

Rillian bent to move Peter's fallen sword out of his path. Then, he raised the tip to his jugular. Jessie cried out first. Peter lurched towards the boy, too far away to stop it. Jill grunted and kicked the very much conscious Green Witch right in the face to stop the weak power she had over him. Natalie lurched to her feet, grasping Rillian's hands, yanking hard so he wouldn't hurt himself in the magic induced stupor. The reaction he gave was genuine. Rillian jolted as his mind regained control of his limbs. The jerk that followed was unintentional, but irreversible. The well kempt sword caught Natalie by the shoulder and drew a clean line diagonally to her hip, like a paintbrush leaving a clean line of red in its wake.

Peter got there in time to catch her from the fall. Her clothes had been white once; now, Jessie saw only crimson. In some places there was so much blood, the color appeared black. Then there was her face, whiter than ash.

Rillian emptied his rations into the corner with hacking. The horror of what he'd done was too much. Eustace hit the floor on his knees, unable to bring himself closer to the dying girl. His eyes turned to Jessie full of nothingness. He was saying something, "Save her."


	19. Chapter 19

**(Natalie)**

Water sweeter than wine licked her cheeks. Sand that warmed her very bones shifted beneath her. Overhead, a cloudless sky smiled down at her. Natalie didn't feel much like smiling. In fact, she felt like she'd been mowed over by a tractor then trampled by a few cattle for good measure. She sat up in a spray of sand, hands roaming her intact torso. She blew a coil of dark hair from her vision and worked her surprisingly steady legs beneath her.

She swept her head from left to right in search of her friends. Water. She was an island surrounded on all sides. To one side lay a waveless ocean. To the other, a great wall of the liquid rushed up to befriend the sky.

"Ms. Walder."

Natalie knew that voice better than her own, though she'd never heard it before. It was like a mother's voice heard through the walls of a womb. Always present, but you never saw her until you entered new life. Natalie knew this was hers. First a car accident, then a sword to the abdomen. She was definitely out of luck by now.

"Nice of you to finally show up. I see I'm last on your list for philosophical, life changing chats."

"I was with you all along, my dear."

"Oh I know! You and your majestic omnipotence. Wait, were you watching me make out with Eustace? Because that was kind of private."

Aslan chuckled and avoided answering her question with a lurid flip of his mane. He pawed at the sand and Natalie clicked her tongue, glancing to the rising water that would carry her into the next life. "So, we just gonna stand around and chat or are you going to show me your magical land? Am I going to get to be a lion in there? Is there unlimited cotton candy? Because that could be a deal breaker."

"That is it? Cotton candy? That's all you ask of me?"

"Well, if you could throw in a hot tub too, that would be fantastic."

"You don't wish to go home? Most people beg for one more day. One more chance to say goodbye."

"Nah, I'm not much for goodbyes. I mean, why drag it out? Why make things more painful than they already are?" Natalie pulled at the ends of her once again white linens.

"Natalie…"

"And Eustace knows how I feel and all the others. Jill's a bit bossy, like Sage, but they're good friends. And Jessie's a little too sweet, but she can kick ass. Then there's little Puddleglum, who's a pain in the ass, but tolerable. And Peter who I don't hate."

"That as it may be, child, I still have one thing left for you to do."

"Was saving the crown prince, his royal family, and you know, all of Narnia not enough?" Natalie snapped. She did not mean to be so bratty, but she'd had quite enough of his mystical riddling.

"This has to do with you."

An unpleasant chill ran over her though the day was as still as death. "I'm just an actor," she said with all the might of a mouse.

Aslan dipped his head in understanding. "That I know. You act every day of your life. I want you to spend your last few days without any lies."

"Why? I did my part. I'm tired."

"You're afraid," Aslan cut in. "You're afraid of wanting something."

"What's so wrong with that!"

"Because if you can't say goodbye to your old life, how am I to allow you into the next? You aren't finished, child. You will return and when the others return home, you will either come here or go somewhere else entirely. This is not a punishment child. It is a second chance."

"I don't need one! I know what I want," Natalie cried in frustration.

"Is it me?"

"No shit!" Maybe that wasn't her most diplomatic approach.

"What do you know of Susan Pevensie?"

"The hot Queen. Hasn't been back since her make out session with Caspian."

"Do you know why?"

Natalie was done answering his questions. She rolled her eyes and stalked towards the water wall. She would find her own way into his kingdom. She plunged her hand beneath the surface only to jerk it free when the water singed her skin. Maybe this was what Aslan was talking about. Always trying to do things by her own rules. Natalie didn't know what Susan had done to fall away from Aslan, but she didn't plan on joining her on that boat.

"Alright, send me back." She turned to face the lion, but he was gone. In his stead, was Peter the Magnificent himself.

"Shit," Natalie said, prodding her now unblemished chest. Peter was so startled by her outburst, he dropped her. Luckily, Natalie managed to keep from getting a concussion. Nurse Jessie helped her ease into the shiny silver chair Rilian had vacated. It was not nearly as comfortable as a chair fit for a Prince should be.

"Is anyone else seeing this?" she heard Eustace ask in a trembling voice.

"You're not dead," Jessie stated.

"Yeah, Aslan spoils all my fun," Natalie deadpanned.

She scarcely had time to sit up before Eustace crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. Not a spinning and romantic kiss. This was far more intimate. He was crying Natalie realized. She was supposed to tell them everything; she was supposed to stop pretending everything was ok. But for now, she would not spoil the moment. She would tell them later when the Green Witch was taken care of and Rilian was safely tucked away in his castle. It was nice to just breathe. She breathed in Eustace mostly. He smelled of plain soap and faintly of the ocean. That last one baffled her—probably just Aslan playing tricks on her mind.

"You saved me," Rilian stated.

"Some thanks," Natalie teased. "Where's the gold and parades?"

The Prince smiled stoically. "You all saved me. How am I to repay this debt?"

"A hot bath would be great," Jill called.

"Wine please," Peter input, massaging his brow.

"How about a nice month long nap?" Jessie inquired.

All dissolved into easy laughter. Eustace finally relinquished his suffocating hold, but didn't move to put any distance between them. His thumbs rubbed at Natalie's jawline as their friends continued to jest amongst themselves. Natalie found herself swimming in this pale blue eyes. She purposefully didn't say goodbye to him after her first visit to Narnia. How was she expected to now with so many more feelings involved?

"Oi!" Puddleglum waddled into the room with an irritated scowl beneath a split lip. "I don't care how magnificent you are, I'm too frail for fights. Look at this!" he pointed to his already crusted over injury.

"Apoligies, dear friend. I was not in my right mind."

Puddleglum huffed and crossed his arms. "I should think not. I hope you know I'm expecting a title and lands out of this. I don't go across nations and face evil witches for my health."

"What about mine?" Rilian asked smiling fondly.

Puddleglum seemed to see him for the first time. He blinked once and all the anger vanished. Relief replaced it and he nodded slowly. "The beard makes you look like your father," he said.

Rilian grinned beneath the brown hair that had grown on his chin during captivity. "Thank you for coming, Pud. Thank you all. Now, by Aslan, let's get home."


	20. Chapter 20

**As ordered: one nice big happy reunion. But don't get too comfortable kiddos. The story isn't near finished just yet. ;)**

(Sage)

The only way Caspian allowed laying down all day was if someone stayed with him. Of course, she had Queenly duties, so she, Samira, and Darius took turns staying with and entertaining him. Samira was fast asleep against Caspian's arm when Sage finally wandered in after countless hours occupying the back breaking throne. Caspian touched his lips as she entered and scooched over silently. Sage slid off her boots and tugged the tight pin from her long hair. It tumbled down as she crawled onto the vast mattress and curled up much like her child.

Caspian slung his arm over her waist and placed a kiss to her brow. "How was the council meeting?" he whispered.

"Tedious," Sage murmured, kissing at the scruff on his jaw. "I kept almost falling asleep. Lord Rowan did at one point and drooled all over his parchment."

"You people can't function without me," Caspian scoffed teasingly.

"We can," Sage corrected. "We just don't want to. Everyone was missing you. It was hard to stay on task with our beloved King confined to his bed."

"Mmmm, ponies," Samira input from her sleep.

Caspian smiled fondly and slipped from the bed.

"Caspian," Sage hissed, reaching out after him only to grasp the tail ends of his robe before it fell from her fingers.

Caspian walked out to the balcony beckoning his wife to follow. Sage tucked the covers up under Samira's chin and smoothed down her mousy hair. With a long sigh, she padded after Caspian. He was seated on the wrought iron bench with his left leg propped up on his knee, massaging the swollen appendage.

"You know I love you, right?" he said suddenly. His eyes were fixed on the steadily sinking sun. It decorated the horizon like open hands with purple and orange fingers. The hints of night came in on cooling winds that carried with them scents from as far as the countryside. The smells of growing wheat and wild flowers eased the kink in Sage's shoulders. For a moment she was not confined within the high, imperial walls of this castle. She was just another wisp in the wind being swept away without a care. The man she loved was not sitting next to her saying what he thought was parting words. The physician gave him days; Sage prayed for years.

"Stop, please," Sage whispered.

"I want you to make sure Samira remembers me. She's so little. Tell her stories. Help Rilian. He will be King, but I could never do it alone. He'll need you as much as me. And Darius, he wants to be a knight, he needs to learn to control that temper first."

"Wonder where he got it," Sage replied.

Caspian smiled sadly, inclining his head to peer down at her with affection softening the wearied face. His hand reached over to grasp hers in the simple gesture that had never failed to speak anything but infinities between them. He stood up suddenly, dragging her with him. He was humming softly under his breath. The same tune he'd sung over each of their children's cribs, the same song that had played at their wedding feast. With his chin resting on her head he began swaying them to the old tempo. The hand that didn't hold hers, pressed against her back so that their bodies were as one—one in this life and the one to come.

A knock came from their door. Sage was content to let whoever interrupted them remain on the other side. She head a shuffle of feet from inside the room then Samira's loud voice demanding answers. Sage couldn't hear the reply, just the door clanging against the wall and Samira shouting as she sprinted away down the hallway.

Now, Sage turned to see Puddleglum in their doorway. He was grinning, a peculiar expression on his pinched face. Sage understood without a word. Caspian was the first to move, grappling for his cane in the corner of the room. Sage kept pace behind him as he hobbled down the hallway, following Puddleglum to where their son awaited. Her heart pounded like a drum being carted into battle. When they rounded the last corner, it thudded to a distinct stop. Samira was on Rilian's shoulders, crowing in ecstasy. Darius hovered at his brother's side with unshed tears glistening in his eyes. Natalie, Eustace, and Jill were leaning exhausted against the wall. With them was Jessie and a new man Sage had no time or care to identify. She let her eyes assess her son as Caspian pulled him into what looked like a painful embrace.

Rilian's face appeared aged a good few years. Dark bags cradles his eyes, but his wide smile was genuine. He was safe; he was home.

"Mother," he said, reaching out.

Sage was bawling now and managed only indiscernible sounds against her son's chest. "I know, I know," he soothed.

At least this one thing was going right. Even if everything else was falling apart, Sage's family was whole for now. Aslan had kept his word, maybe he would offer one more blessing. Sage couldn't let go and she couldn't stop the grin on her lips from growing ever bigger. She felt as if she could crack with the joy of it all. She would not fall apart anymore, not with Rilian here to hold her together.

"Thank you," Caspian collected himself enough to show gratitude for his whole family to the weary rescuers.

"You're welcome," the unfamiliar man spoke pointedly.

Caspian blinked, then shook his head with amused disbelief. "Blood hell, Peter. What are you doing here?"

Peter shrugged and got up to offer Caspian a firm handshake.

"Peter as in Pevensie?" Sage inquired.

Peter turned those blue eyes on her and suddenly Sage knew why an entire country was willing to let him rule. He grinned knowingly and offered his hand to her as well.

"I didn't know Aslan was bringing everyone," Sage murmured.

"I'm honored, truly. I would do anything to protect our country," Peter said.

"Suck up," Natalie called from her position cuddled under Eustace's arm. About time, Sage thought to herself.

 **Make sure to review! I love to hear y'all's thoughts. They really help keep the inspiration flowing.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Some happiness because this story needs more of it.**

 **(Jessie)**

Jessie wasn't sure who let Natalie near the royal band or how they picked up the chords to S&M so quickly, but she was certain Samira was far too young to be exposed to even the tune. Luckily, Sage ushered the child off to a nanny who would prepare her for bed. Meanwhile, Natalie and Jill dominated the dance floor with no less than provocative moves. Puddleglum was a willing learner, but poor at execution.

For his part, Eustace guarded the long food table, sampling everything from chocolate sweet to something resembling centaur hooves. Darius hovered at his side, doing his best to appear as tall as the elder boy. When a serving plate of champagne passed by, Eustace swatted Darius's eager hand away. The little prince, lunged at Eustace's stomach, only succeeding in drawing an amused smile from Eustace. He leaned down to whisper something before grabbing her son in a wrestling hold and beginning the dual. Darius shrieked in laughed.

Caspian, Sage, and Rilian huddled in a corner with glassy eyes and smiles so wide they looked painful. Jessie could still remember the beautiful family reunion. Caspian was supposed to be bed bound, but he'd come racing down the great halls to pull his first born in a hug that knock his breath out. Jessie felt a bit breathless now herself at the splendor of the celebration. If this was a party pulled together in one afternoon, she prayed to one day experience the glamor that would be a well-planned event.

The evening was crisp, with just the touches of winter wind whispering between guests. It served to cool the heated atmosphere on the dance floor. Ornate lanterns were hung in every tree, lighting up the few remaining leaves with red and orange hues that cast warm glows onto the stiff grass. The moon was a wisp of silver against the dark night; the stars shown even brighter to make up for their partner. Jessie wasn't sure whether it was late at night or the early morning hours; they'd been out here a good while. Jessie was contentedly exhausted from dancing with person after person. Her mind still spun faintly and her feet were already blissfully sore.

"Ready to retire so early?" a voice came from behind her.

Jessie turned to see Peter had come to stand beside her. He'd finally had a proper bath. His blonde hair was combed back to resemble a perfect gentleman—a king. Blue eyes shining brighter than the sun on a clear day peered down at her. He'd discarded his beggar's rags for those worthy of his station. Jessie always felt plain when standing beside him; the feeling had not diminished after their time apart.

"No one would miss me," Jessie murmured.

"Then, let's go." Peter offered his arm and Jessie froze.

This felt familiar, because it was. They were falling back together, like nothing had ever separated them. But something had, and Jessie could not bear to go through that again. She shook her head diplomatically and remained rooted in her spot. Despite her knowing about his identity the longest, she feared she was the last one to have a full pledged conversation with him. Their embrace during the battle had been one of relief and forgiveness but not one willing to open Jessie up to fresh pain.

"I know," Peter stated solemnly.

"You read minds now?" Jessie clipped, sleep deprivation making her bolder than normal.

"I've always been able to read yours." He offered a small smile for a treaty. "This time it's mainly because we're thinking the same thing."

"What's that, then?"

"This could hurt like a dick."

Jessie let a scoffing laugh pass her lips. She ducked behind carefully constructed curls and folded her hands against the pleats in her golden dress. "Is that you trying to persuade me?"

"Edmund was the diplomat. I'm the blunt one, so I'll be straightforward with you. I have even less time now that I've graduated and I assume the same goes for you. But I know one thing for certain, and that's how much more it hurts without you. I let you go once and I don't intend to make that mistake again."

"I wanted you to fight for me," Jessie whispered.

"And I thought love was letting the other go if it would make them happy."

"We were kids."

"I don't feel any more experienced now. In fact, I feel less sure of myself than I was at 13 when I was crowned King of a magical land. I guess that's what makes it worth it, though. If you're not afraid, it means you have nothing to lose."

Jessie raised her nose to the air and sniffed once. "I'm sorry. I didn't know they served cheese at this event."

Peter rolled his eyes and took her hand without waiting for permission this time. Jessie blushed at the childish touch. If she got a second chance to come to Narnia, the surely Peter deserved one as well. She let him lead her back into the palace where things were quieter and the high walls offered more privacy.

He told her about his life in the five year absence. He told her of steady work in central London and Jessie told him of hers on the outskirts. He worked most nights and he frowned when Jessie told him she worked early mornings. But then, he just grinned and squeezed her hand. They were not so foolish this time to believe everything would be perfect. They were adults with lives and families that impacted everything around them. And they would have to work to fit together. Jessie loved a good challenge.

When they'd roamed each corridor of the castle at least two times over, the finally stopped outside Jessie's door. She ducked her head and toyed with the tassels on her sleeves. Her black sandals stood out against the starkly cleaned porcelain floor. Peter's boots were a fine crème color to match the hue of his trousers. A pastel green shirt was tucked under a dark brown belt. His hands were folded formerly behind his back like he might address a nation in a speech. Jessie was just one girl.

She could see a goodnight forming on his lips. As tired as she was, she was unwilling to let the night end without one more happy event. With the aid of her tip toes, she leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. The affection that swelled in her chest froze her in that position. Peter was frozen as well, afraid even to blink and discover it a dream. With a sigh, Jessie fell back on her heels and blindly palmed at the door to find the knob that would offer a retreat.

"Sleep well, my lady," Peter murmured before striding chivalrously away.

Oh how Jessie had missed being his lady.

 **Insert Elton John singing "Can you feel the love tonight?" :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Only took two stories of build up, but here's what you guys have been waiting for! Enjoy the sexy times.**

 **(Natalie)**

Drops of rose scented water still clung to the end of her hair as she sat in front of the vanity with the servant provided red silk robe wrapped loosely about her naked form. Her skin was still raw and burned slightly from the near boiling bath she'd just emerged from. As tired as Natalie was from the festive celebration, she could not will herself to lay down. She knew what tomorrow was and as childish as it was, she couldn't bring herself to sleep away her last night. Maybe if she didn't sleep the sun would never rise. And maybe if she kept her pulse steady enough, it would never stop beating.

Why would Aslan bring her here? Why would he drag this out? It would have been less painful if she'd just died instantly in the crash. This false hope hurt more than any death could. A tear rolled down her cheek to mingle with the water droplets. Natalie's body was so numb she couldn't even bring herself to wipe it away.

She was so young, barely 22. Lines had yet to touch her forehead or take root beside her eyes. She knew when she got older, laugh wrinkles would form around her mouth. Natalie found herself wanting wrinkles. She wanted white hair and aching bones and a hunched back. She wanted infinite years to live by and to go on countless adventures. She had drawn the short straw and it wasn't fair. Natalie imagined Sage with her doting King of a husband and her whole perfect family. Natalie would never have that. She would never get to act on Broadway or even touch that diploma that she'd spent the better part of her life striving after.

She hated Aslan right then, for not giving her the same chances as her friend. They'd come here together and Sage had selfishly asked to stay. Natalie had asked nothing of the lion and now he was taking everything from her. She scraped her nails over the train of tears making their way down her cheek and wiped at snot angrily. She wouldn't leave with the others. She would just stay here in Narnia where the horrors of real life couldn't touch her.

When a knock came from her door, Natalie remained seated perfectly still. All her lights were off save from the lone candle positioned next to her bed. Perhaps the person would think she was asleep as the rest of the castle should be. The door handle twisted and Natalie could not even bother to snap at the inconsiderate intruder. A blonde head popped in with traces of party streamers still caught in the short locks. "You should be asleep," Eustace stated.

"I am," Natalie muttered the joke half assed. "Or I could be if you'd leave."

Eustace let himself in with a painfully bright grin on his lips. "We did it. We actually did it. Rillian is safe. The Green Witch is dead and we're not." He went to touch Natalie's hand which was propped on the knee exposed from the slit in her robe. She stood up, eyes trained on the plush grey carpet. Eustace cocked his head, but continued to reach out. He caught her wrist and Natalie pulled herself free. She buried her hands into her wet hair and began pacing the width of the room.

"Ok," Eustace muttered, trying to follow along with the drastic mood swing since the last time they were alone. "Are you mad that I didn't say it back? Because that's not my fault. You kissed me and then we had company, so you're not allowed to be upset about that. Because I do love you. I have loved you even the days I thought I hated you. And now we're finally together and there's no impending doom breathing down on us, so I'll be damned if I let you waste our time over something…" Eustace trailed off when he saw the fresh downpour of tears on Natalie's cheeks.

"Hey, no. None of that. Yes, we're going home tomorrow. But we'll be ok." Eustace wrapped his arms around her frame and she let his hold remain this time. "Because love doesn't mean always being together. Sometimes it means letting go."

Natalie looked up at him with wide watery eyes. How had he said exactly what she needed to hear? He couldn't possibly know that she was marked for death. That she would indeed have to let go of everything. Eustace ran his fingers under her eyes, down her cheek and across parted lips. "We have now," she whispered.

He nodded slowly, letting the streamers fall from his hair. "Do you want me to leave still? We could both use a full night of sleep."

Natalie shook her head, pulling away from his embrace only to sit on the end of her plush bed. "I want you to take off your clothes."

"Nate…"

"This isn't the time to be chivalrous. If you love me, make love to me."

"I was gonna tell you that you're not ready for all this awesomeness." Eustace let his green and black vest fall off and tugged his flimsy white shirt over his head.

Natalie giggled, glad he wasn't just someone who loved her; he was someone who knew her. Her eyes eagerly explored the skin his dropped trousers revealed. Pale. Freckled. Ready. He stepped closer and Natalie gladly let him kiss her waiting mouth. Her hand reached between them, pleasuring him and eliciting breathless moans which Eustace pressed against her lips. He fumbled to remove her robe, tracing along the curves of her skin as he pushed the hindrance away. This night may be the dusk of her life, but she could still see the sun; she could still see Eustace.

She looped her arms around his neck and her legs about his waist, pressing their most intimate realms together. Eustace dragged his fingers down her bare back to sink into the plush of her thighs. He pulled at her, grinding their hips for torturous friction. His lips were on her cheek, sinfully gentle. His teeth scraped at her ear, tugging the lobe just enough to make her curse. Then came his voice, rough and needy. "Tell me again."

Natalie smiled sadly into his shoulder and whispered back, "I love you, Eustace."

He laughed in disbelief. He was intoxicating like a wine she'd been waiting years to finally open. She was allowed one glass then she would never get to taste it again. So Natalie relished every last drop of it. Every kiss, every whisper, every unplanned mishap. And it tasted exquisite.

* * *

Natalie laid on her back listening to the incessant ticking of the clock on the far wall. Each click of the second hand sent her teeth grinding down harder. She knew breaking the clock would do nothing to cease time, but still the urge persisted. Her body was physically exhausted, but her mind spun web after web. Dreaming up a life she would never have. She could not shut her eyes. If she did, she would open them and discover the life she knew gone. Minnesota a distant dream. Narnia a glimmer in her memory. Eustace reduced to nothing but a ghost, or she would be a ghost rather.

She flipped onto her side suddenly, shoving the thoughts back into her foreboding future. Eustace stirred at her movements, groaning as he was pulled from sleep. He blinked up at Natalie, eyes unfocused and disoriented yet delirious with happiness. Pink lips parted as he processed the situation. With a sigh he said, "Bloody hell."

"That bad?" Natalie teased.

He grinned sleepily, rolling on top of her to plant a sloppy wet kiss on her cheek. "That brilliant."

"Just a little something to remember me by." Natalie meant it as an easy taunt, but the reality came crashing back in with all the force of a tsunami. It drowned out all other happy musings.

Eustace cleared his throat and sat up stiffly. He knew only that they would be separated, not that Natalie's life would cease when she returned to her time. She knew he deserved to know. The moment was already ruined, so she forced herself to sit up too. Her body was blissfully sore and there was a mouth shaped hickey over her hipbone where Eustace had gotten a little feisty. Natalie rested her chin on his shoulder, hardly noticing the four red parallel lines running down the back of it. She opened her mouth to say the words, but they snagged in her dry throat, anchored to a paralyzed diaphragm.

"You're going to be amazing in England," she said.

He smiled faintly and leaned his head on hers. "Make Minnesota your bitch."

Finding their discarded clothing proved quite the challenge. Once both were decent, and a few stray heated moments were cooled, they descended the grand staircase to join the Royal family. Jill sat with Sage, cooing over little Samira. Rillian stood casually chatting with Peter and Caspian, while Darius remained in the strong Prince's head lock. Puddleglum sat to the side with Jessie watching the whole thing with weary but content gazes. All wore their injuries like prizes they would cherish once they set off in their separate directions.

Eustace gave Natalie's side a quick squeeze and walked over to kneel in front of Jessie. Natalie bee-lined to where Sage smirked up at her. The old woman had lost none of her intuition to the years. She could read the flush to Natalie's cheeks as easily as she could dictate a royal decree. "Eventful evening?" Sage called.

Natalie pushed Samira out of the Queen's lap and inserted herself with a dramatic flop. Samira pouted briefly before prancing to Jill for attention. "You know, I'm slightly disturbed that it happened under my roof, but also…" Sage held up her hand for a high five which Natalie happily slapped. They lapsed into fits of giggles just like they were teenagers once more with boys and school as their only worries.

"I hate to see you go," Sage murmured, sobering like ice water had been poured down the back of her fine satin gown.

"Then don't watch," Natalie retorted.

Sage rolled her eyes. They trailed over to where Rillian grinned admiringly up at his father and her husband. The relief at having her child back safely had lifted a few mountains from her shoulders. "I can't thank you enough."

"You could send a couple bags from the royal treasury with me."

"Or I could just keep you here for myself."

Natalie's smile vanished before splitting open. Maybe she didn't have to leave. Maybe she could just hide here and avoid facing her problems like any self-respecting actress would. Aslan said she couldn't enter his kingdom until she said goodbye to her old one, but what if she didn't want to? "Could I?"

"What?" Sage's brow was furrowed, gaze fixed on Caspian.

"Let me stay with you and Caspian and Ril. You got to stay in Narnia once. Why not me now?"

Sage turned a brilliant smile on her now. "You are always welcome here Natalie."

The dark haired girl laughed and hugged her friend fiercely. "Do you remember when you wouldn't even admit to liking Caspian? You have his kids now. You rule his lands. How did that happen?"

"Do you remember when you thought you were in love with Edmund?"

"Oh the ignorance of the youth," Natalie sang making Sage laugh.

Her green eyes glazed over as she looked out at the window overlooking the gardens. "Aslan?" she whispered in awe.

A goblet hit the floor then. It fell from Caspian's sure hands. All were frozen in shock as the King followed in its wake. He dropped like dead weight, gagging on the air he tried to choke down. His hand was folded over his heart like he was praying—they all were at that moment.

 **Sorry, you guys. I know some of us were trying to forget what happened to Caspian in the books, me included. Keep reading, though! We're not done yet! I promise a happy ending!**


	23. Chapter 23

**(Sage)**

Sometimes, no matter how hard you push, a heart will just stop. Sometimes, it's just done, tired of beating every second to keep you alive, tired of muddling through every bite of red meat or jumping every time that special someone walked into the room. Sage could still picture Jessie's blonde waves all askew from her bun; they swayed in the still castle air like a sea of grain bending under a summer breeze. She recalled Jill carting her children out of the room, her Pole green eyes were empty and seemed to grasp no more information than young Samira.

Sage knew herself was the worst of all. She'd ripped the bottom half of her dress in her haste to stand. Her forearm had snagged against the mantel on the wall as she tore across the room. Natalie had caught her before the Queen could get too close to where her husband fell. To where Jessie knelt above him serving as the only thing keeping him alive, her hands fisted and pumping riotously over his pulseless heart.

Heart attack.

The words were so common back home. They lost their meaning. While Caspian lay perfectly still, his hair combed into place, his pants pressed into a crease, his insides were falling apart. Sage stood bleeding, half bare, but she felt nothing at all. Her insides were paralyzed. Too overwhelmed to accept the loss. Natalie was a blur of frizzy black hair and surprising tiny muscles.

Others crowded around her husband to offer what help they could. Jessie had shaken her head; the grain danced under the midmorning sun. She was telling them they could do nothing. Jessie could do nothing. Their King was dead. Jessie looked up to Sage through the long stems and Sage felt her knees give out. She sat down hard, sure she bruised her tailbone. She and Caspian were a team. There wasn't a problem in this realm they couldn't solve together. But now she was alone. Caspian had left her, in his stead only grief remained—terrible, gut lacerating grief.

Sage screamed. She let all composure drop. She was not a Queen without her King. She was a wife, a widow, a single mother. And the suffocating burn in her throat felt good compared to the gaping hole in her soul.

Now, four hours and one change of clothes later, Sage sat alone in the dark hall. This one was without windows for a reason; the dead had no need for sunlight. They'd tucked Caspian's body away in a plain casket. One fit for a King and carved in his image was being created even as she sat here. But Caspian had no use for fineries where he was, and she did not need engravings to remind her what her love looked like. She could still remember him as a youth as if she'd wandered onto his ship only yesterday. Their wedding day was a brilliant flash in her memory, and that night even clearer still. The day she'd brought Rilian into the world had been one for the history books, but all she remembered was the single grey hair in Caspian's hair, the way his hardened arms had curled around his sweet, bawling heir. Brown eyes that had teased her near every day of her life were now shut forever and Sage wanted nothing more than to let her own do the same.

The back double doors opened and Sage made out three pairs of footsteps. She saw Rilian first, his mouth pursed in horrified disbelief. Samir flung herself, bawling into Sage's skirts. Then there was Darius, still as water, as calm and sure at the tide. Had her own child made his peace so quickly?

The funeral would not happen for several days, while all the necessary officials rode in from their respective lands, but today Sage and her family would more. And tonight, she would be forced to bid her closest friends farewell. The grief rocked her back in her chair. Samira clambered onto her lap, wrapping arms sticky with syrup around her slim neck. Rilian sat on the cold, hard floor and rested his head against her knee so he could cry silently. He refused to make a sound because the boy was now King, and Kings do not whimper in the face of hardships.

Darius strode up to the casket, setting a steady hand against the sanded wood. The flames from the torches lining the room lit up the streaks of auburn in his hair. "I trust your plans," he whispered.

Sage knew he was not speaking to Caspian; he was addressing Aslan.

"Why did Aslan let Daddy die?" Samira asked through puffy eyes.

"Daddy gets to be with Aslan now," Sage said, hugging her youngest tightly to her concaving chest.

"We'll see him again," Darius promised.

"But I miss him now!" Samira wailed.

Rilian pushed to his knees and drew Samira's forehead to rest against his. "Picture father," he instructed with all the grace of a King. He was ready for this challenge, Sage thought. He was ready to fulfil his destiny.

"Do you see him?" Rilian asked.

"He brought me pancakes in bed this morning. He was silly and tickled me so now I'm all sticky." Samira sniffed, but smiled at the memory.

"What would father say right now?" Rilian asked.

Samira's lower lip quivered. She was about to break down again.

"He'd tell you how tough you were," Darius stepped in. "He'd say how much stronger Princesses have to be because we Princes need to be kept in line."

"Well, girls are way better. Boys can't run things without us," Samira agreed.

"Exactly," Rilian kissed her cheek. "We're going to do this as a family. I may be King, but I need you and mom's help to do it."

"And Dar?" Samira questioned.

Rilian glanced back to his brother, extending his hand. Darius took it and joined in the huddle. "Especially Dar."

Sage watched her children in awe. He had not left her alone, she realized. Each had a little piece of Caspian within them. Samira with his sense of adventure. Darius with his passion for everything. And Rilian with his cool head for ruling. She would draw from their strength. She would be the mother they needed and the Queen this country required.

 **Only one more chapter to go, you guys!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Well, this is the last chapter guys. I was thinking about writing an epilogue, but I don't know quite yet. It was a good run we had. I've been writing Narnia for the better part of my life and I was crying while I wrote this because I love these characters so much and it hurts to say goodbye. I love you guys too. Best wishes.**

(Natalie)

Aslan picked a really shitty time to send them home. Not a day after Caspian's funeral and he couldn't even be bothered to show up. Darius woke them all that morning claiming to have received a vision from the lion in the night. So Aslan was using as kid as his spokesperson now. Natalie kicked at an innocent flower in the garden where they all waited. There was an archway decorated with purple vines only just beginning to show neglect. Darius waited directed beneath it still covered head to toe in a respectful white—for rebirth in Aslan's land, the Narnians claimed. His little hands were folded nervously against his chest and he kept pressing up on the balls of his feet as if that would coax the sun into high noon faster.

Natalie had made her decision the moment Caspian hit the floor. She couldn't tell them. They'd suffered enough grief without her. She knew it was just an excuse, but she also knew she didn't have to go through that archway. She could just continue on exactly as she was. Without her family. Without Eustace. In a land where she belonged as much as a fish in outer space.

"So, I wasn't going to say anything," Jessie's sweet, soft voice came from behind her.

Natalie thought about bitterly snapping that Jessie never said anything, but she managed to swallow it down like sour bile. "What's up?" she muttered.

Jessie folded her hands worriedly then reached out to the younger woman with them. "No one else has put it together because they don't have all the pieces. But Natalie, you died. The only reason you could come back would be if you're already gone in the real world. Aslan can only bring back people in his land." She shook her head sadly and tried to hug Natalie close. "I'm so sorry."

Natalie ducked away, face hardening as she warded off tears. "I'm not going anywhere," she said stubbornly.

Shock flashed across Jessie's face before she concealed it with something like pity. "I know it's scary. But Natalie, his land is so much more than anything ours could offer. And Caspian's there now. I think…I think Aslan also wanted you to wait for him. So you two could go together and neither had to do it alone."

Natalie's rage fizzled out like a smothered fire. Why did Jessie always sound so practical, so right? She had a way of wording things that would take Natalie weeks to piece together on her own. One word fell out of her gnawed raw lips, "Goodbye." And it was like breathing for the first time since she'd gotten here. She had been holding her breath, terrified to accept the truth. With that one admission, she severed the anchor that had weighed her to this world.

"I don't know you very well, but you should know that you are loved and you will be missed."

Now Natalie fell into her slender arms. She let the woman stroke her hair almost like a mother and whisper silent encouragements before gently nudging her towards Sage. The Queen Mother took one look at her friend and burst into a wide smile. "Took you long enough," she said. "Aslan told me when he appeared over Caspian…"

"Fuck me, does everyone know?" Natalie grumbled, allowing a more reluctant hug now.

"Not the one who actually did fuck you," Sage replied making Natalie snort with laughter.

"Tiny ears," Natalie chastised into the crook of her shoulder though the youngest and oldest of Sage's children were not present at this farewell.

"Watch out for him will you? Don't let him wander off waiting for me," Sage instructed.

"I'll keep Cassie out of trouble," Natalie winked.

Sage pushed her away playfully before grabbing at her hand. "Thank you," she said fiercely.

"For saving Rillian? For keeping Caspian company?"

"For being my friend. You're the best one I've ever had and I love you more than I could ever tell you. So thank you."

Sage let go of her hand then. Jill was easier, with her stony acceptance and unwillingness to become teary eyed like the others. Peter was easier still. He offered a playful punch to the shoulder, so Natalie retaliated by actually punching his chest. Her knuckles ached afterwards and he barely reacted, but still it felt good to joke around one last time. She hoped it would bruise so he would have something to remember her by.

Eustace was sitting closest to the archway, tearing apart flowers with idle hands. Natalie plopped down beside him. He glanced over but didn't speak. They sat in silence for a long while. Finally, with the sun beating down on her back from high above in the sky, Natalie tugged off her graduation ring. It was an old thing with a simple emerald stone set in the center. She set it on Eustace's knee and watched as he delicately picked it up. "Is this you proposing or something because this won't fit me," he teased.

"This is me saying goodbye," Natalie whispered, voice choking around the simple words.

His eyes cut over as cold as ice and as hard as diamond. "This isn't the end. We can still come back. Aslan said we would…"

"Not me." Natalie cut him off. "Eustace I'm…"

Now he cut her off, in a much more sensual manner. His lips molded against hers, chasing away her words with the single action. Natalie shuddered against his hot open mouth, swearing to keep her sinful, dirty thoughts even after she went to heaven of this intoxicating man. Her nails scraped his back as she knotted them into the fabric of his shirt and practically pulled him onto her lap. His laughter broke off the moment and Natalie was left sitting before him very much at peace. He would be alright. For that matter, so would she.

"The day I got here, I was dead in my own time," Natalie said stoically.

Eustace's laugh melted away into something so sad Natalie's resolve nearly shattered. It was already such a fragile thing. He worked his jaw slowly, chewing through responses. "I suppose, I'm dead in your time." A strained smile. "The time we got was more than I could have ever asked for. I am glad to have spent any portion of my life with you, Nate." Natalie would have gladly given up a forever with Aslan to stay right there with Eustace even just a few more moments. But then Darius was calling them forward and the archway trembled with fantastic magic.

Jill stepped forward, casting an expectant gaze down to Eustace. Eustace went to stand but Natalie snatched his wrist. She cupped his freckled face between her hands and made sure those pools of blue were locked on her own before she spoke. "I do love you Eustace. So, go live your life. Okay?" He was nodding vigorously before she even finished her statement. He pressed a kiss to her hair as he got his gangly legs beneath him. "Goodbye, Nate," he said before pulling Jill under the arch.

They were gone like wisps of smoke caught up in a strong wind. Before Natalie could even process their departure, Jessie was patting her back reassuringly and pushing Peter through. A strangled cry escaped her lips as they too disappeared. Too fast. She wasn't ready. Natalie spun around to beg Sage for more time. Just one more chance to make a new memory. When she met Sage's judicious gaze, she was back on the Dawn Treader.

 _It was the middle of the night, yet they lay awake exchanging stories of embarrassing moments. Sage spoke of spilling art class paint all down her hot teacher's trousers. Natalie brought up the evening she miserably missed a theatre performance because she was convinced it was happening the next week. Her fill in had been a boy that operated the sound booth. The audience loved his impersonation of Dorothy so much, Natalie actually lost her starring role. Though, she did have to admit he looked better in the ruby slippers. The scene melted and was replaced by a typical family meal. Her multitude of siblings were crawling on top of each other to claim the first slice of homemade lasagna. Her father was telling them all a story of a protest he started in college and only her mom was listening with doting eyes._

Moment after moment raced past and suddenly Natalie knew why lives flashed before people's eyes. To remind them not what they would miss, but to show that she would be missed. Natalie blinked up at the woman who'd ruled Narnia for decades—who'd given up everything to be with the man she loved—and she smiled. She wasn't giving up anything. Aslan was offering her an eternity and she would seize it with a steadfast grip. "You're getting old Sage. Maybe I'll see you soon."

Sage rolled her eyes as Natalie turned and ran into the archway.


End file.
